The Perfect Fall
by cmart91
Summary: Paige has been in the foster system most of her life. When Paige moves to Rosewood she meets Emily who seems to have the perfect life. But little do both girls know that they share more in common than they think. Paily AU
1. Chapter 1

_**A/N:Hello Everyone! So here's is my new Story. I have had this concept for a while but was too busy with two other stories to really focus on developing this one. **_

_**I would just like to say thank you to these three awesome and beautiful ladies that read the first chapter giving me the 'okay' on publishing it.**_

_**Ildi(Saii79), Redgirl25 (Sara), And EndWorldPeas. Thank you three so much it meant alot. Check out their stories if you haven't already Count on You. You Can't Change Her, and Trying to Get You.**_

_**If you like my stories and have tumblr, I sometimes post stuff on there about my Stories like Dark Paradise and such. Name is alwayskeepchasing. And since you all are super patient I will not waste anymore of your time. So here it is, The Perfect Fall.**_

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Chapter 1

Well, this is what my life had become. Ever since I could remember, I've been in and out of foster homes. I haven't really settled into one home for longer than six months. There was one home I stayed in for almost three years, but I was too young to actually understand that I was never leaving the system. I had hope when I was five, even when I was eight but now, not so much. I'm turning 17 in two days. Woo whoo to me right? My early birthday present is moving to another foster home. Another home where they don't give a shit about me, and just collect the money for having as many kids as possible. This should be fun; I can't wait to move around three times during my senior year. People say that senior year is suppose to be the best year, well let's see if I can stay in this one long enough to enjoy it.

I'm going to a place called Rosewood, and I'm attending Rosewood High School. I know the town, because my very first foster home when I was 5 was in a nearby town called Ravenswood. Never liked the place; it always creeped me out, even as a young child. But as Devyn and I drive past the 'Welcome to Rosewood' sign and enter the residential area, it feels peaceful; there are no eerie vibes coming from the town.

"Happy early birthday Niñita." Devyn says as she keeps driving into the new town I get to call home, at least for the time being. It always made me smile when she spoke Spanish, I learned Spanish from her when I was younger. That's when she started calling me Niñita, when I was 9. I remember one day I came home from school and saw Devyn's car parked outside. I knew what came with an unexpected visit. I had actually liked the home I was living in, so naturally I was upset when I had to leave. I cried in the car as she was driving to my next home. When we had stopped to get something to eat, she had turned to me and gave me a hug trying to calm me down, and in the process calling me Niñita; which means little girl. From then on, that was a way of making me smile.

We keep driving through town, and end up where all the shops and restaurants in town are. She parks outside of a cafe, and steps outside signaling me to get out if the car too. Devyn has been my social worker for as long as I could remember. I was her very first case, so she's grown up with me over the years. She's been the only constant adult figure in my life for the past 12 years.

"Is this your idea of an early birthday present?" I snap as I get out of the car, zipping up my hoodie and then shoving my hands into my forest green bomber jacket. A jacket that she bought me for my 15th birthday. It's the only piece of clothing that I consider nice, because I know it must have cost her a bit of money. I slam the car door and huff as I walk into the restaurant, nudging her as I walk past her.

"Hey lose the attitude; you're still with me so you don't get to act like that." I drop myself into the booth that the hostess has offered us, and I cross my arms across my chest as I stare out the window to the new town. "Look, I know that you don't want to be here; but after threatening to torch a foster brother's room, you're lucky you're not in jail." The waitress comes and before I open my mouth to order she's already ordered for the both of us.

"Can't you just adopt me? I swear I'm easy to live with. Por favor?" This isn't the first time I asked, and I'm sure it won't be the last time. She rolls her big dark brown eyes at me with her usual smile that is beautiful. Devyn was 36 but she looked younger than her age. It always surprised me, because she's a social worker that deals with so many cases and problem kids; like me. You would think that the stresses of her job would make her age faster. I always thought she was attractive, I guess when I started looking at her in that way I should have figured I was gay. But I fought against it, and even picked a fight with a girl who tried to kiss me at school one day, I called her a dyke. Needless to say, a few days later I had to switch foster homes because the foster parents couldn't deal with me.

Now I can say I'm gay and be okay with it, most of my homes don't like that though. They are semi okay with me when I first move in but once they catch me with a girl, they always look at me differently especially when I share a room with their daughters.

"Paige you know I can't do that. We've talked about this, you know I care about you but taking care of a teenager full time with the amount of cases I have, is just impossible. Just one more year and you'll be out of this crazy system okay?" I nod my head as the waitress brings me my pasta, and a hamburger with fries for Devyn. I pick at my pasta and swirl it around on my fork without actually eating it. "Rosewood High has a good basketball program Paige. Maybe you can try out?"

"Yeah right. All those Rosewood snobs have been there since freshmen year, they aren't going to take to a trashy newbie."

"Actually, RHS welcomes newbie's with open arms." The waitress reaches over to fill up my water, and as I look up to see a raven haired beauty. Her olive colored skin was radiate against the dim lighting of the restaurant and her bright smile just kept my attention for the spilt second we looked at each other. She had a smirk on her lips before she turns and leaves. I stare at her as she walks away with such grace. Her eyes though, those were something else. The piercing brown eyes definitely made an impression on me seeing as I only got a glimpse of them, but it feels like I've seen them before.

"Eyes over here, Paige." Devyn taps the top of my hand, and I regretfully pull away from the semi familiar girl. "Look you have one year left. You have great grades despite you moving around and missing classes all the time. You could play basketball and get a scholarship or something. They have scholarships for foster kids too." I sit in silence as she continues to talk. I think I could listen to her talk all day; Devyn has this Spanish accent that I find really sexy. See there I go again. Stupid hormones. "Ready to go?"

I get up and walk out of the restaurant, but not before turning around and meeting the gaze of the raven haired girl one last time. Those eyes, they were a warm deep brown that I could get lost in. And even from afar I could see that she has this twinkle in her eye. God where did I know her from? My dreams maybe? I smile to myself before catching up to Devyn and hopping into her red Corolla.

All this talk about college and my future was really hitting me. In a few days I start my senior year. My last year of high school and mandatory schooling, so why should I willingly go to school after begin forced to after 13 years. Well that was my only damn future. I guess Devyn had a point; damn I actually got something out of her babbling nonsense. College is my only way out of this path I'm headed. I always wanted to get out of the east coast. Maybe college on the west coast would be a better fit for me.

"So who are my latest victims Dev?" I say as I pull out a Sudoku puzzle from my back pocket. I've done so many of these damn puzzles that it seems like it's the same puzzle every single time I buy a different book. The 'hard' puzzles are no challenge for me anymore.

"Paige, be the good person that I know you are and don't mess up with this family. This family is really nice, and they only have one other foster kid with then right now; and he's around your age."

"Finally, no little brats running everywhere and trying to blame shit on me." I pump my fist in the air with the joyful news. Don't get me wrong, I love kids and everything but when they hit that age of 10, especially with little boys, that's when they start acting out and becoming troublemakers. That's when I stop liking them; there were a few foster babies and toddlers that I would watch. I was always the oldest foster kid in the house, and when the foster parents were dealing with the little boys or girls; I was there with the baby. That's how I've been the last few years though; me always being the oldest had a price. The price was getting blamed for things that the younger kids did. So I'm glad that we are the same age. "Wait, do they have kids?"

"Yes they have two teenagers, a boy and a girl." She draws out the word girl, and I raise my eyebrow before putting my hands behind my head and leaning back into the passenger seat. "They both go to Rosewood High. Please Paige, do not go after the daughter again. If you do and they report it, then I will have no other choice." She doesn't even have to finish the sentence because I already know what she means.

God, it's like a scene from fucking Pleasantville in this damn town. I mean, as we go from downtown to the other side of town to where this amazing family is. They all turn to cookie cutter houses. There's hardly any turns once we get of downtown Rosewood, just a straight shot getting to suburbia. But the neighborhood we go to is just off Main Street of suburia, and it's different than the rest. The houses that were along Main Street were all shades of brown or beige, but these houses are different colors; some are shades of green, some are light blue, there's even a house that is a pale yellow. At the sight of these houses, I feel a smile creep across my lips as I stare up at the dark green house with a yellow trim. That's when Devyn tells me that this is the house I'll be living in. I liked this house already, just because its colors were unusual compare to the surrounding houses.

The house is a huge two story cottage style house, though the colors threw me off. Usually cottage types of houses were light colors, well from my experiences. As we drive up the looping driveway, we passed by many rose bushes and even a pine tree that's set adjacent to the porch. There's only one other car in the drive way and it's a semi old dark grey jeep, I have to roll my eyes when I spot the Rosewood High honor student stickers on the bummer. Great I'm living with goody two shoes, this should be fun. I grab my bags from the trunk with Devyn helping me with my giant duffle. We walk up the five porch steps, and at the top of the porch I see a porch swing on one side and on the other I see four chairs and a small black patio table.

Devyn knocks on the front door and turns to me with concerned eyes. "Paige, I really want you to finish up your senior year in Rosewood. I don't want you to pick up and move halfway through the year, so please try and make this work." I nod my head to her before a small woman with a giant smile opens the door.

"Hello Mrs. Montgomery. My name is Devyn Moreno; we spoke on the phone a few times before." I didn't think the small women's smile could get any bigger, but it did with every word Devyn said. Of course Devyn being her charming self gets on everyone's good side. They talked a few minutes while Devyn and I remained outside on the porch, and I was awkwardly standing there adjusting the straps of my backpack.

"I'm sorry I'm being so rude, come on in. Paige it's really nice to meet you, Ms. Moreno has told me so much about you. I was so excited to meet you."

"You were?" I let out quickly as we take a seat on their couch in the living room. Devyn gives me a sharp look, and I slowly take my eyes off of her as I draw my attention back to Mrs. Montgomery. "I mean...um."

"I understand your surprise Paige. But we are really particular about the foster kids that we let into our home because of our own children. When Ms. Moreno called us and started to tell us about you, we were intrigued. We both thought that our home would be good for you." What's so special about me?

I shift in my seat as I look around the living room. The colors were all very dark, but it made the house feel cozy. The dark hardwood with the beige couches just complemented each other very nicely. The pictures above the fireplace, the blankets neatly placed on top of each couch for easy access. Everything in this room was placed perfectly to make someone feel welcome. It was also very quiet, all I can hear is girls laughter coming from outside. But the house itself was quiet; there were no small kids yelling or TVs blaring. There was just utter silence and I liked it.

"Why don't I show you to your room?" Mrs. Montgomery jumps up with the same smile plastered on her face as she leads us to the stairway. "Here let me help you with that." She grabs my duffle and she falters as she tries to make it up the first step, making me crack a smile.

"No I got it, it's quite heavy but thank you for offering and trying to help." I throw my bag over my shoulder and follow her up the cherry hardwood steps that creak every time I step because of the weight from me and my bag. This duffle is old, I've had since I was 10. It was a gift from a foster dad that couldn't wait to send me packing. I guess when he gave me this bag I should have seen my next placement coming. Devyn and Mrs. Montgomery are talking as we walk up the stairs and walk past their kid's room. You can obviously see which rooms belong to the teenage girl and the teenage boy, but there's also another room that looks like a room of another teen boy. We walk up to a room that's painted turquoise with bare walls and a full size bed. They stop outside the door and gesture for me to come in. I walk in and look around confused; when I look at Devyn she has her signature smile.

"This is my room?" I set my bag on the bed and just continue to stare at everything. There's a bookshelf that's built into the wall and a wooden desk beneath it. I trace my fingers along the edges of the desk and even glide my hand over one of the shelves.

"Yes Paige, this is your room. Your own room." Devyn says as she walks away from Mrs. Montgomery's side, and ends up across from me. She had to have known this when she was driving me here. She knows I've never had my own room before. I've always had to share with multiple girls, and we had small bunk beds; now I have a full size bed! I feel my eyes begin to blink fast and with every blink the more blurry things got. Mrs. Montgomery's smile has now faltered and is now tightly pressed together into a line.

"I'm sorry, I'm not trying to make a bad first impression. It's just that I've never had my own room before... I'm just trying to wrap my head around it." I run my hand along the jade colored quilt. The beautiful quilt that I can't seem to look away from, the design on the quilt was a blooming flower.

"Well, we will leave you to settle in Paige. We have to talk a bit more anyways." Devyn rests one of her hands on my shoulder giving me a reassuring smile. I can tell by the way she is gripping my shoulder and the look in her eyes that she wants to hug me, but she can't because technically we aren't suppose to be this close. But whatever, she's been my social worker for 12 years. I get up and I hug her tightly, I know I caught her off guard but she recovers quickly and returns the hug.

"Thank you." I whisper to her before letting her go, and wiping my cheek as I feel moisture leaving my eye and running down my cheek. I simply smile at her before sitting on the bed tracing the quilt again with my fingers.

They leave, and I finally break away from my trance of the jade quilt. Grabbing my duffle and hoisting it onto my bed, I dump out the contents of it. Clothes are the first thing to fall out, then my books and finally my other pair of shoes. Everything that is laid out on the bed are all the things that I own. All of it this is all I have to my name, then again it is the life of a foster kid; you basically live out of a suitcase.

Maybe I can get used to being here and stay out of trouble. I mean, Mrs. Montgomery seems nice; and I get my own room. Already this has been the best foster home I've been to, well second best. I pull out one of my books that I have specifically for storing pictures. I pull out the piece of paper of a younger me and my best friend at the time, and I smile weakly at the picture. One of my only actual friends that I made in foster care. I was new to the foster system when we first met and broke a rule that I now have for myself; don't make friends with the other foster kids. It's not that I had anything against the other kids, but it was more of me not wanting to get too attached to people and then have them taken away from me. Because that's exactly what happened with the girl in this picture, I became close to her and for two years we were inseparable. That is, until she got adopted out. I fold the piece of paper in half and stick it back into the book. Burying it in the pages of the book, almost like I am burying the memory of her leaving the home.

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_**Emily's POV**_

"Hey guys what are you doing here? I thought today was shopping day." I say as I bring my friends their usual drinks. Spencer, Aria and Hanna were supposed to go shopping today because Hanna insisted on getting new outfits for senior year. I was supposed to join them, but got called in to work a half shift for someone at Sam's Grille. Seeing my friends was a nice surprise though, but they weren't the only surprises at work. Just before they got here, I saw a brunette that I thought was cute, so seeing a pretty girl always makes working overtime worth it.

"We couldn't leave you here while we went to shop in Philly, Em." Hanna says while taking a sip of her diet coke.

"Yeah Em. We will just go a different day. So when's your break?" Spencer offers me a reassuring smile, and I gladly returned it. I love my friends; it's hard to imagine that we have stayed friends since we were all eight. Sure there were a few bumps along our friendships, but we've stayed together through ups and downs.

"Um actually in a few minutes. So you girls want the usual?" I see a nodding Hanna and Spencer; I look towards Aria for confirmation but she's on the phone. I walk back to the bar and write down everyone's order including mine, before ringing the bell. "Sam! Here's the next order!" Sam, a guy in his mid thirties appears with a stern look that makes me want to laugh. He always tries to be serious, but most of the time it failed when he began to crack a smile or when he laughed spontaneously.

"Hey kiddo, you going on break?" He grabs the piece of paper and looks over the order before grinning at me. "Ah, I see the gang is all here. Don't worry, we aren't that busy. Go ahead and enjoy lunch with your friends, I'll have the new kid bring your order." With that, Sam begins making the food order and I take off my apron before heading over to sit with my friends.

"So, you have a new foster kid at the house?" I overhear Spencer say before I get to the table. Arias parents were foster parents, and over the years we've seen a handful of kids come and go from the Montgomery household. But the last couple of years fewer kids have been coming into their lives. Aria said that in the past three years they only had four foster kids in their house, and that's including their current tenant Ruben.

"Yeah we do. I'm kind of mad though, because my mom said that Ruben would be our last foster kid and then as soon as she gets a call about this girl she jumps at the opportunity to take her in. Sometimes I wish my mom wasn't as nice as she is." She swirls her iced tea around with her straw making the ice clink with the glass. I hated when they talked like this about foster kids, because they didn't know what the kids have gone through. Mrs. and Mr. Montgomery were great parents to both their kids and their foster kids, any foster kid would be lucky to have them as parents. What the girls don't understand is that good foster homes are hard to come by, who knows where the kids would end up if the Montgomery's weren't foster parents anymore?

"Wait, but your mom seemed pretty sure that Ruben would be the last; so why take another kid?" Spencer says still trying to wrap her head around the idea.

"Well, she's not a kid apparently she's our age, and I guess she stood out to my mom because she's supposed to be crazy smart." I take a sip of my water trying to stay out of the conversation. I never liked to participate in talking bad about foster kids. "Yeah, apparently she's taken all AP classes with a 4.8 G.P.A. and has gotten all fives on her AP tests since sophomore year."

"I don't even get fives on those tests." Spencer sits back in her seat crossing her arms over chest and scrunches her eyebrows together. I guess to try and figure out the girl's secret.

"That's impressive if she can keep those good of grades and still be shuffled around in the foster system." I say a bit under my breath so no one can hear me. But of course Aria hears me and raises a eyebrow. Andy brings us our food and we eat in silence until Hanna starts to talk.

"So Em, do you think that you'll be able to go shopping tomorrow?" At that moment Sam comes up next to me. I look up at the tall man confused but I smile up at him.

"Hey Sam." All the girl say in unison and wave to the cook.

"Hello ladies. She can actually go with you guys now." He says to Hanna before she starts squealing and jumping in her seat. Then he looks at me before leaving to the kitchen but I quickly follow.

"Sam but what about my shift?"

"Don't worry about it; go on kiddo we can make do without you." He smiles at me and I pull him into a hug. "Do you need money?"

"I'm okay, can you tell dad that I went to Philly with the girls? I might even spend the night at one of their houses, but I'll call him if that happens okay. Thank you again Sam." I give him another hug before grabbing my bag and return to the table to pay off the lunch. We grab our things and leave the restaurant, and I turn one last time to wave to a long time family friend.

I've known Sam since I first moved to Rosewood almost 10 years ago. He's been a friend of my dad's since college; apparently they shared a dorm room together their freshmen year and their friendship just escalated from there. Sam has dark skin with green eyes, very handsome to be single but to the towns amazement he still is. He started this restaurant about five years ago and he's a successful business man. All my friends had a crush on him, that's why they were always visiting me at work.

Sam has been there a lot for me and my dad since my mom died two years ago. He lives next to us, and is over for dinner almost every night and also has drinks with my dad on the weekends. My dad is still taking my mom's death hard even after two years, but it's understandable.

A long day of shopping finally comes to an end, and all that's on my mind is school starting in two days. My senior year is finally here, and it's been hell getting here; but I'm finally starting my last year in high school.

Well, shopping took more out of me than expected. I come back to Spencers house and crash in her barn. I don't even make it to the bed; I just sink into the oversized couch and fall asleep around midnight. Tomorrow I would have to wake up at a decent time in order to go to basketball conditioning at 10 o'clock, so my sleep is restful and stress free.

I hear my phone ringing the alarm tone making me turn and pull the pillow over my face. I so didn't want to get up right now, why did I even have an alarm set? It's still summer. My eyes immediately snap open when I realize that I have basketball conditioning. Shit. I scramble around the barn to find my shoes, purse, and phone.

"Morning Em, do you want some coffee?" I look up and see the girls sitting at the breakfast bar watching me go crazy looking for my things. Finally I find them and head for the door, waving bye to the girls. I run to the front of Spencer's house and realize that I left my car at Sam's. Sighing I run across the street to my house to get my workout bag, and to change my clothes. I guess I'm going to have a workout before my workout since I have to run across town to RHS.

"Em?" I hear the faint voice coming from downstairs; I quickly slip on my running shorts and pull the tank top over my sports bra. I run down the stairs and see my dad leaning against the stair railing sipping a cup of coffee.

"Hey dad, sorry I'm in a rush I'm going to be late for basketball." I run to the coat closet and pick up my bag with my gear.

"Sweetie don't stress yourself out, it's still summer remember, the last day but still." He smiles into his coffee mug, and I see the large creases on the corner of his eyes; along with the dark bags underneath them. He doesn't get much sleep nowadays; he drinks a lot of coffee to keep him going throughout his long work days. He's a professor at Hollis, tenure track; he's been working at the university since he graduated from there 11 years ago. So he's always working on lectures, answering student emails, or grading lab reports.

"I know dad. But I can't be late for the first conditioning session." He smiles weakly at me as he runs his hand through his longish brown hair. His hair always seems to be tasseled with when he's upset, just something that I have picked up on in last few years. "But how about after conditioning we get something to eat? We've hardly talk since you decided to do summer sessions this year."

"That would be nice sweetie, call me after basketball and I'll meet you over at Sam's." He comes up to me as I quickly throw off my work shoes, and slip on my running shoes. I get up and he engulfs me in a bear hug. My dad was tall but he was also overweight, he had developed a kind of a small beer belly over the last two years. "You know I love you right?" I hold on to him tightly resting my chin on his shoulder and look over at a family picture of all of us laughing. Man, I missed mom.

"Of course I do. I love you too dad. I'll call you later okay?" I rub his back before letting go and heading for the door, but not before he calls my name making me turn but keep on walking. He throws my water canteen towards me, and I smile and shake my head; because how could I forget about water?

I fasten my bag strap on my shoulder and across my chest before I start running to the school. I had 20 minutes to make it one and a half miles to the school. I slip in my ear buds and play the music on my phone as I begin to run. The air is humid and sticky against my skin as I begin to break a sweat. The music pumps me up as the beats fill my ears and the humid air fills my lungs. The heat this early didn't bug me anymore since I've been doing morning runs to get in shape for basketball. But maybe it's getting to me more right now because I'm not use to running through town, I usually run in the woods with the trees providing shade for me. As my feet hit the hard pavement my breathing begins to pick up and the late morning sun blares down on my eyes, making me regret not grabbing my sunglasses.

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_"Emmy honey please put sunscreen on! I don't want you getting cancer!" She runs after me with the bottle of sunscreen in one hand, and my sunglasses in the other._

_ "Mom I'm fine, the sun never hurt anyone and plus I won't get cancer." I grab the sunscreen and put it in my backpack and put on the sunglasses she had. _

_ "Emily Jillian Fields, don't you dare say that you can't get cancer. You never know what could happen if you don't care for yourself." The crease on her forehead made me laugh even though she was being serious; I kiss the crease on her forehead and reassure her that I understand and that I'll put sunscreen on when I get to the beach._

_ "Bye mom. I love you." I wave goodbye to my smiling mom before getting into Spencer's mom car. We leave for the Hastings beach house for the weekend. Out in the sun the whole weekend getting a nice tan before school started the following week. Putting plenty of sunscreen on, thinking of my mom and how she would be satisfied that I remember every day that I was there. It wasn't until I got home that my weekend became a thing of the past, and reality hit. _

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I make it to school with five minutes to spare, and I can't believe how fast I got here. I guess thinking about my mom really took my mind off the sun and in the process losing track of time. I run up the steps in victory, throwing my fist in the air knowing that I got to conditioning early even though I was sure that I was going to be late. I pull out my phone and as I press the button to pause my music, I'm met with a body crashing into me making me fall back.

"Oh my god, I'm so sorry. I didn't see you there!" I quickly get up and try to help the other girl out. I grab onto her bicep trying to help her up.

"Oh its fine, I didn't think anyone would be in the halls right now so I wasn't really watching where I was going." She dusts off her forest green bomber jacket and I eye her carefully. The weather has been fairly warm, so she must be burning up in that jacket. "I was just exploring the grounds before my first day."

"Still my fault, I was just excited that I got here before basketball started and I wasn't paying attention." Her eyes snap up at me behind her bangs and I notice that they are a rich brown color that is kind of stunning. Her ivory complexion is beautiful with the contrast of her dark hair and reddish pink lips and the slight blush of the girl's cheeks. "Oh, Welcome to Rosewood High!"

"Oh you play basketball? I was just watching some girls practice layups." She points to the gym behind her, and I look through the glass window on the door and see the team practicing in the gym but still no coach, I still had some time.

"Do you play?" I ask the still unknown girl when I see her turn and watch my team mates pass the ball around.

"Um yeah, I play, but I've never played on an official team." She shoves her hand in one pocket while the other hand rubs the back of her neck.

"Well you should try out for the team; we have try outs at the end of October. Rosewood welcomes newbie's with open arms." I shrug with a smile, and it seems to amuse the girl at the moment.

"You're the waitress from the restaurant right? Because you said that exact same thing to me yesterday." She laughs and shakes her head slightly, and I can't help but laugh with her. I can't believe I hadn't recognized her from yesterday, I guess the lack of caffeine in my system is affecting me more than I thought. I knew I remembered those stunning brown eyes from somewhere.

"Yeah I do, sorry I'm totally out of it right now. I'm Emily by the way." I fasten the strap around my shoulder, before holding my hand out to greet her.

"It's fine I was spacing out too. I'm Paige." Her hand meets mine and it feels warm against mine which makes my eyes follow her gaze and keep its stare. Paige, was a very unique name I have only heard that name about twice in my life.

"Well it's nice to meet you. Hey I have to go, but like I said you should join the basketball team. Conditioning is every day after school in the gym for an hour if you're interested."

"I'll think about it." The brown eyed girl flashes me a small smile before walking past me. I start to walk toward the gym when I think about Paige's eyes and realize that I know her from somewhere. I've seen those eyes before, like we've met before yesterday.

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_**A/N: Okay so let me know what you guys think and if I should continue with the story or not. Because honestly it could either way, you the reader are the judge. Let me hear your verdict.**_


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Hello everyone! THANK YOU for the overwhelming response to this story. I am really quite shocked I didn't think that this story was going to peak reader interest. So this story will be updated on Wednesdays(probably at night). I will be consistent with this for the next month or so until I start University again. If you read my other story(Dark Paradise) that on will be updated on Sundays.**

**Many of you who reviewed had a common question about Emily. Well you will get the answer to the first of many questions that you might have by the Emily's POV****  
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******Thank you to Everyone who reviewed and just read the story and decide to follow it. It means a alot really, I say that alot but it does. So please leave feedback I appreciate it very much and it tells me to continue on with the story. ****I usually respond to reviews but I am way too tired and still in awe with that Paily scene from tonight's episode.**** So please forgive me. Here's Chapter 2**

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**Chapter 2**

**Paige's POV**

"Paige, you ready to find your classes? I have your schedule right here." I turn away from the raven haired waitress from yesterday, but not before returning my gaze at the girls long tan toned legs. Damn that girl was beautiful.

"Uhm sure Mrs. Montgomery. May I see my schedule?" I start to fall into step with my new foster mom, and she talks the entire time we are walking down the hall. I notice that this lady loves to talk. After Devyn left me yesterday, Mrs. Montgomery came to my room and started talking about her three kids and how I would get along with Mike the most. She also told me that she was a teacher at the school, and that her husband was a professor at the nearby college. That information kind of threw me back, because not only did I have to be good at home I had to be perfect around school for Mrs. Montgomery.

"Um Mrs. Montgomery, it says that I'm in all AP classes with no elective besides AP Spanish 4." I look over at the schedule and it says I only 5 classes and I know that at my other school the standard was having 6 classes.

"Please Paige, call me Ella. Yeah, I figured that you could use an open period with the amount of AP classes you're taking. So at least two times a week you get two hours to do homework or whatever you like. But if you want another elective then we can go to the office and I'll tell them to put an elective there for you." She stops from heading in the direction of my classrooms and begins to walk back to where the office was. I stop her to see the confusion in her eyes.

"No this is fine thank you. I've never had a open period before so I'm just surprised. I could definitely use the extra two hours for homework." She nods and we begin to walk to the classrooms and we find all of the rooms pretty quickly. "Um, but I feel better calling you Mrs. Montgomery, I don't want to be disrespectful."

"Paige, you can call me Ella, we are a very informal family, it wont mean disrespect if you address me by my name. Was that Emily you were talking to earlier?" We start to walk out of the school and to the parking lot where Mrs. Montgomery's jeep is.

"Um err yeah that was Emily. I kind of ran into her while I was looking around."

"She's a sweet girl; she's one of Aria's best friends." She's says exuberantly as we make our way to the car and get in.

She decides that we should go shopping for the essential school supplies at the Target that's just outside of town. We walk down the aisles and I see smaller kids running to the cart with supplies in their hands begging their mommies to get them the latest boyband folder or the latest superhero fad backpack. Ella is the first foster parent to actually take me back to school shopping. All the rest have just gone and bought the supplies themselves or with their own kids and gave us whatever remained. I already feel so spoiled living with the Montgomery's, and it hasn't even been 24 hours since I've moved in with them.

"So Paige...pick out whatever you need for the year. I'll be picking out some things for dinner tonight." She hands me a list of supplies that she recommends. She smiles and gives my arm a small squeeze before grabbing a basket to hand it to me, and pushes her cart towards the food aisles. I turn and look up at the ceiling with the 'back to school' sign and just look at kids running around again.

I walk up and around the aisles picking up pencils, binders, notebooks, and flash cards. I fill up my basket with supplies and start to walk to check out the books after Ella says that I can look around more. I set my basket down and look at the novels on the shelves and finally pick a book that I've read before but always found it great to read again. 50 essays was a book I had to read for AP English last year but I had read it before then. I always found that the essays were beautiful, and always caught myself rereading my favorite essays. I sit down next to my basket and open up the book to my first favorite essay. As I finish the piece of writing I tune back into the world hearing a girl talking to me. I look up to see a short brunette with a sly smile and wide green eyes that should look freaky but she can pull it off with her long lashes. I get up and fix the hem of my shirt.

"I love those essays. Which one is your favorite?" She offers me a smile as I look at the book and try to pick of the essays. I set the book back on the shelf and turn towards her.

"Yeah I love them too. I can't just choose one though; I think it's between _Mother Tongue_ and _On Being a Cripple_. What about you?" The girl smiles and looks at the book that was just in my hand.

"I think my favorite is _Learning to Read and Write_. I've read that essay, I think about 50 times. But your favorites are mine too." She picks up another book that's a few books away. "It's nice to find someone who actually reads them without being forced too." She chuckles and I do the same, as I look through the books again to try and find another book to add to my collection. A blonde comes out and yells to the girl saying that her mom is here. The brunette rolls her eyes and sticks her hand out.

"Oh my name is Aria by the way"

"Hey like the essay in the book. I'm Paige, wait Ari-" My question was cut off by Ella's voice and she came up to hug aria and gave her a kiss on the cheek.

"Hello sweetheart, I didn't know you would be here. Hello Hanna." The blonde lets out a small hello and leans against the shelves as she checks her phone. "I see you've met Paige."

"Yeah I have...Wait.."

"Um hi, I'm the new foster kid." She lets go of my hand and I step away from her.

"Well sweetie I have to go home and get started on dinner. Do you want to come with me or go back to town with Hanna?"

"Um I still have to get some things from here so I'll just see you at home."

"Okay honey. Paige are you ready?"

"Yes Mrs. Montgomery. It was nice to meet you." I look at both girls before grabbing my basket again and placing the book in it before following Ella to the checkout line.

"Do you like Alfredo pasta? I have other things I can make if you don't." She places her groceries in the trunk and I help her tie the bags so nothing rolls around.

"Yeah I do."I mess with my bag of things as I start to think about how Aria changed as soon as she found out I was her foster sister. But then again it's no surprise that she acted like that, everyone acts differently when they find out I'm a foster kid. "Thank you for being so nice Ella." She just gave me a warm smile and began to talk to me about her two other kids.

I stare out the window and watch the trees blur by as I think about how everyone who I meet will find out about me. I mean I guess I can hide it for a while. I wonder how Emily would treat me once she knew. Wait why do I care? And why do I even ask? She's going to be like everyone else.

We get to the house and I help Ella unload the groceries and my supplies. I put things away slowly as she shows me where everything is and what goes where. After she tells me to go upstairs and that she would call me when dinner was ready. I throw the supplies on my bed and rearrange everything in my bag and on my desk. I pull out my iPod shuffle and clip it to my shirt as I sit on the floor getting lost in the mess of school supplies. Paper and binders everywhere with pencils and pens and eraser just thrown across the room. I finally lose track of time and my surroundings when one of my favorite songs comes on and I slip allowing myself to start dancing and singing. It was a freedom I was never allowed at the other homes because I shared a room with others. Now I had my own room and had the freedom to sing and dance as I well pleased.

"A million hearts, you're the only one

Who lights it up like I'm glowing in the dark"

I sing as I'm jumping up and down to the rhythm of the music. Dancing on top of wrappers and cardboard from the binders. My eyes were closed when I started singing and continued to stay closed as I was carelessly dancing. I mean it was only Ella and I, but when I turn to my door I see Aria leaning up against the threshold. I stop dancing and my mouth immediately closes as I yank the ear buds out of my ear.

"Dinners ready."

"Um thanks. Sorry, I didn't think you were here yet." I look down sheepishly and begin to pick up the trash that I had kicked while dancing.

"It's fine. May I come in?" I motion with my hand for her to step inside my room and take a seat on the bed. I'm still crouched down on the floor cleaning. "Listen I'm sorry for the way i acted back at the store. I was just surprised."

"Yeah it's fine. I'm used to it. Um, does your mom need help setting the table or anything?"

"No I already set it up. You know you are way more polite than the rest of the kids we've had come through here."

"Yeah I've learned to take advantage of being in a nice home. Your moms nice she doesn't deserve me being a punk. And if I'm not a punk that means less time I spend moving from different homes." I shrug as I sit up on the bed with Aria and I finally notice her clothes. I raise my eyebrow a bit just out of confusion with her outfit choice. I mean I know I'm not the most fashionable with the same rags I've had for the last two years but still. She's wearing some leather jacket with small studs on the shoulders. She's also wearing a sheer dark purple hi-low skirt with some bright red leggings and some killer purple heels.

"We'll we should go eat. Mike and Ruben just got here with dad so you can meet them."

* * *

"Woah she's tall" The darker skinned boy said pointing up at me and Aria from the dining room table.

"Nah it's just because she's standing next to Aria." The brown haired boy laughs and the other boy joins in giving him a high five. I smile when I see Aria give them a death stare.

"Shut up Mike." She sits down and I sit next to her and across from Ruben I'm guessing. I wave at both of them and they wave back at me as I looked up at Ella.

"Mike, Ruben, Byron this is Paige." I look up to see who I take is Byron aka Mr. Montgomery.

"Nice to meet you Paige."

"Likewise." I smile politely and serve myself a plate of pasta, and pass the pan around to Aria so that it makes its way around the table. We eat and I get to know Mike and Ruben a bit more. They both play lacrosse and basketball for the school. And tell me how they could put a good word in with the captain of the girl's basketball team. Aria and her parents get up and clean off the table, and that's when the boys start talking about how hot the girl's basketball team is. They keep looking back at Aria to see if she's paying any attention to them, but she could care less as she talks to her mom. Then I remember that Emily is on the team and immediately blush as I silently agree with the boys.

I walk back upstairs to my room after dinner and find myself thinking of Emily with each step. Mike and Ruben were right she was hot, I mean even when I saw her today in workout clothes and sweating, she looked amazing. Her sun kissed skin was beautiful. Her smile made me melt for the few second it was there. And her eyes, they hold that familiarity that I so desperately want to expose but yet have no clue where to start.

I slump down into my bed and reach for the book with my pictures folded inside of them. I put it under my mattress so that it wouldn't be mistaken for just any other book on my shelf. I find that whenever I have problems that I want to talk to somebody about I pull out the picture that contains me and my best friend at the age of 6. I look at the girl standing beside me and I wonder what it would have been like if we were friends now, if she would have stayed. I think about how if she were here, I could talk to her about my new family. I stare at the picture and I always wonder about all these things. Then I actually think about the girl in the picture and how it was so long ago. What if she would have stayed and we were not friends today. And how did she turn out? Did she become the superstar athlete we talked about or did she just blend in with the rest of the crowd minding her own business?

I hate when I have these kinds of moments because it makes me sad. The fact that I know nothing about the dark haired girl that I was so close with 12 years ago. That she could be anywhere in the world right now, and I ended up 20 minutes away from where we first met. Tears start to roll down my cheek as the picture in my hand trembles because of my crying.

"Hey are you okay?" My head snaps up and I quickly grab the sleeve of my hoodie and wipe my tears away. I wave for her to come in and try to hide the picture but with all my shaking it falls on the rug. Aria picks it up without looking at it and hands it to me.

"Yeah. Thank you, sorry I just was thinking about something." I look at the picture one last time before folding it and tucking it underneath my leg.

"Was that a picture of your parents?"  
Aria sits on the bed, but I keep my eyes down and twirl the piece of paper in between my fingers as the tears drop to the bed. Even though my previous thoughts were still present, I couldn't help but laugh at Aria's question.

"Yeah no, I don't have a picture of my parents. It's a picture of me and my best friend from when I first entered the system." I look up and I see in her big green eyes that she's sad for me."You know you're nicer than the other foster siblings I've had. Like way nicer, even Mike and Ruben are beyond nice."

"Yeah, well my parents have been doing this for a long time. So we were taught to treat everyone with respect, all the foster kids that come here are my siblings, they're family. You're family now Paige." She rests her hand on top of mine and squeezes it before leaving my room.

As she walks away I just feel this dark cloud hanging over me. A cloud that seems to follow me whatever I go, giving me a sense of uneasiness and at this point, insecurity. I like this family and it's only taken me one day to break my rules, so already I feel vulnerable.

* * *

**Emily's POV **

"Happy gotcha day!" Is the first thing I hear this morning. Not even my alarm clock was this early; I love my dad but really? I feel the weight of the bed shift and when I open my eyes just slightly I see him laying right next to me facing me with his eyes closed. I used to crawl into their bed all the time when I was smaller and the fact that he's doing it now just puts a smile on my face.

"Dad why do we even celebrate 'Gotcha day' still? Why can't we just celebrate birthdays like normal families?" I groan into my pillow trying to keep my eyes closed so I could sleep more. But once I heard his roaring laugh I knew I wasn't going back to bed.

"Because we aren't the 'normal' family, Emmy. 'Gotcha day' is special, you remember how mom would always be. Besides she thought it was better than your birthday." My dad gets up and pulls my covers off of me which makes me groan even more into my pillow. I hear dad whistling out the door as the goosebumps start to arise on my skin. I huff as I get out of my bed, looking at my clock and noticing I have an hour before I had to leave the house for the first day of school. I reach for my glasses before stomping off to my closet and pulling some sweats on and slippers.

I brush my teeth and head downstairs where I'm met with the aroma of Cinnamon and coffee. I close my eyes as my nose relishes in the smell following it into the kitchen. There is French toast and bacon with eggs and a coffee filled mug at the breakfast bar that has my name written all over it. I sit down and thank my dad before I start eating my 'Gotcha day' breakfast.

"I can't believe it's been 10 years since we got you Emmy." He walks over to me and squeezes my shoulders placing a kiss on top of my head.

"Yeah I can't believe it either dad." I take a bite of my breakfast when I hear the front door open and the kitchen door being pulled back.

"Happy 'Gotcha day' Em!" Sam's voice is way too loud for me not having coffee in my system. He engulfs me in a bear hug before handing me a long rectangular box.

"Sam you didn't have to.." He shushes me before I finish and is more eager than I am for me to open up the box. When I do I see a silver heart shaped locket. I pick it up and see that there's an engraving on it. It has my name on the front of it and on the back written in cursive it has the date that my parents adopted me, August 21, 2003. Inside the locket is a picture of all of us including Sam, it's one of the first pictures we took together, we were all at the beach and we were all burnt from the sun but we were happy. We had asked a stranger to take the picture and there I was sitting in-between my parents and Sam was kneeling right behind me. I think I was 8.

My stomach drops as I zone in on my mom's face. I hadn't allowed myself to really think about her in the past year. My sophomore year though I completely lost it, because it was still fresh to me. But now as I see her smiling not at the camera but smiling down at me, everyone else is looking at the camera but at me. I close the locket and hug Sam before tears start to fall I rush back up to my room to get ready for the first day of school.

I fall to my floor letting out silent sobs as I clench onto the locket. I recollect myself and wash my face to erase any trace of the tears. I head out of the bathroom to my dad sitting on my bed and holding the teddy bears they got when they went to first picked me up from the home.

"Have a good last first at day of school Emmy." He gets up and kisses the top of my head and stays there for awhile. "Happy 'gotcha day' I'll see you for dinner okay."

* * *

"Hey Em, woah what's up with the glasses?" Hanna says as she opens the door to Spencer's car to greet me.

"Good morning to you too sunshine. I ran out of my contacts and have to go fill my prescription after school." I lift up my glasses and subconsciously move my hair to the front of my face. God I hated when I forgot to fill my prescription because then I was left to wear my stupid glasses that people like to poke fun at me.

"All-American girl has a flaw?" Hanna says smirking as we all walk up the stairs to the school.

"Shut up Hanna." I turn to Spencer as we reach the top of the stairs trying to ignore Hanna's comment.

"I thought you only wore them at night Em?" Spencer asks

"Trust me, if I didn't have to wear them I wouldn't but I'm blind as a bat. Where's Aria?" Now I'm just annoyed, everyone thought that I was this girl next door and always liked to put me on a high pedestal to watch my every move.

"Probably with her mom. I want to see this foster girl who's supposedly a genius. Can you still be valedictorian if you haven't gone to the school the whole time?" Hanna rolls her eyes to Spencer's question before drawing her attention back to her makeup compact to apply lip stick.

"Cool it Spence, I'm sure you'll be vale-miss smarty-pants. Oh here comes Scooby and the gang." Hanna points over to the steps where Mrs. Montgomery, Aria, Mike and Ruben are and I notice the new girl is with them too. She is talking to Mrs. Montgomery when Mike taps the basketball to her head and they burst out laughing. Paige is the new foster kid at the Montgomery house?

"Hey guys." Aria breaks away from her family and joins us as my eyes stay fixated on Paige walking into the school.

"That's her?" Spencer and I say in unison as we stare at the smallest member of our group. She nods her head as we walk side by side into the school where she tells us how she and Hanna met her at the store yesterday.

The second bell rings as I quickly turn away from Spencer slamming my locker and running to our first class, AP biology. The classroom is made up of 10 stations that fit two people. Obviously Spencer and I had decided before that we would be partners but we didn't expect to be rushing in during last bell. There are two seats open but they are on different stations. We are already late as is, so the teacher isn't pleased when we are standing in front of the class trying to figure out what to do. I quickly sit at the first open seat with a person whose head is resting on the table with her hood up. Spencer sits a few stations back with a very annoyed look with the boy that's sitting next to her. What a great way to start off senior year.

The teacher tells us to introduce each other to our lab partners for the year because these will be our permanent seats. The class groans and I look over at Spencer who looks like she is about to jump out of her seat to murder someone. But after a few minutes the class begins to buzz with chit chat, and I'm left sitting at my station with the person resting their head.

I tap on their shoulder and they groan before lifting their head up and pulling off their hood. I'm surprised to see the familiar brown eyes that belong to Paige.

"Hey." She smiles at me and I wave to her still shocked that she was in the class. "Didn't expect to see me in AP class?"

"No I did, actually I'm still processing some things." I fix my glasses from slipping on the bridge of my nose.

"Wait you did? How?" Her brown eyes stare into mine, and I can't focus on what she's asking because I'm still trying to figure out where I know her from.

"Aria told us that you were like a genius, and that you've been taking AP classes since sophomore year. I just didn't know that you were who she was talking about when she told us. You're a foster kid?"

"Unfortunately I am a foster kid, on a better note I'm fostered with the Montgomery's so it's not that unfortunate. But by all means I'm no genius, I just have lots of free time and I read a lot. Nice glasses by the way." On cue the teacher comes over handing her the textbook for the class and the summer packet that we had to do.

"You have to do that? It took me a month to do that packet. And thanks, I don't think my friends like me with glasses but it's either that or I'm blind." I say while picking up my folder from my bag and taking out my summer packet.

"Maybe you should get different friends then. I think that glasses look good on you." I blush a bit at the stranger sitting next to me as she looks through the packet and back up at me. "And yeah, I talked to all my AP teachers and they agreed to let me stay in the classes as long as I can finish the packets they give me by the end of next week." I look at the pile of books she has and the stacks of papers and my eyes go wide as she lets out a heavy sigh.

"You know you are very well spoken for foster kid. I didn't expect that." I smile as I start to write on a piece of paper.

"Well, being a foster kid doesn't give me an excuse to be stupid. Sorry I don't live up to your expectations of what a foster is." I look up at her and she no longer had the smile on her face like when she first saw me.

"That's not what I meant. Look I get it..."

"You actually don't get it. You're just like other people, I saw how you looked at me differently after finding out I was a foster kid. So spare me your words because I've heard it my whole life." And just like that Paige flipped 180 degrees.

Before I could talk to her and try to explain that I do know what it felt like, the teacher started to talk. I look at the girl who I saw with cold eyes now look straight ahead. But I keep my attention on the girl while listening to the teacher; I saw sadness start to appear in her eyes. The sadness in her eyes begins to show throughout her whole face and I feel my shoulders slump. I have this feeling in the pit of my stomach when I see the visible change in her in facial expressions. But as the feeling in my stomach continues to grow, something in my brain clicked.

I tried to talk to Paige after class but lost her in the crowd of students and eventually just headed to my locker to drop off my books and pick the new ones up. I reach in the back of my locker for my journal and stuff it in-between a textbook and binder before catching up with Aria for English.

"So how do you like your new foster sister?" I set my books down, sliding the journal out from the pile, searching for a certain page.

"I like her, she's different. But I can tell the systems really getting to her. She was crying last night about a friend she had in the foster system that left. Poor thing was looking at a picture of them." As I hear Arias words I open to a page in my journal that I stuck a picture in. As she continues to talk I pull the picture out a bit more. I first grabbed the journal to try and confirm my thoughts about Paige being the same Paige that was my friend when I was the ages 5 through 7. But now, here I am sitting next to Aria as she confirms it and I'm left looking at the picture in disbelief. The girl in the picture was happy, something that the girl now isn't. I remember the look on Paige's face when Casey, one of my social workers, told us I was being adopted. I think that was the first time I felt my heart break, because with every passing second I looked at Paige's face the harder it was to breathe.

It was bittersweet when I was adopted out, I was only 7 but I understood that I would never get to see my only friend I had at the time again. I knew I didn't want to stay in the system until I turned 18, that's why I was excited to leave and not spend another year hoping for someone to come. I never mentioned the foster system to any of my friends. They don't even know that I am adopted, they think that my parents are my birth parents and I never corrected them, I didn't want to. And it was just my luck that one of my best friend's parents were foster parents, so I have that constant reminder. The only thing from being in the system that I look back on is Paige. I was only 5 when we met but we talked day and night about everything for two years. Well everything there was to talk about when you're 5 years old.

Even though I hadn't talked to her in 10 years I still thought about her. I thought about if she ever got adopted or where she ended up. I always wondered about it, and even though I tried to forget about the three years that I was in the foster system. I never forgot about Paige, I never stopped thinking about my best friend/roommate. I even begged Casey to tell me how she was doing whenever she came to check in on me. But every time she said she wasn't allowed to discuss Paige, and all she said was that she was good. I could tell that Ruby had more to say but that she couldn't discuss someone else's case especially if she wasn't her social worker.

I hold the picture with shaky hands and tears filling my eyes, also with the hot moisture creeping up fogging up my glasses. I take off my glasses hastily wiping my tears before Aria could see, but she's busy messing with her phone. I quickly clean my glasses and as my vision is coming back to me the blurry figure of the brown haired girl becomes sharpened. The sad look in her eyes from the class before was now gone or at least masked, with a smile as she was talking to the teacher. It's been 10 years since I last saw Paige but I know that this is her. I think I knew the moment I locked eyes with her at Sam's. I knew that I felt some sort of a pull towards her and the whole shopping trip that day I spent trying to figure it out why she felt so familiar.


	3. Chapter 3

_**A/N: Well Guys it's Wednesday!SO time for another update! Hope you guys enjoyed the midseason finale, well to whomever seen it.**_

_**Well Thank you to Everyone who reviewed and loved like the chapter! I am so appreciative of every who is reading/following/ favoriting/reviewing the story. I'm glad that most of you were still a bit shocked by Emily being "That" friend. I didn't try to hide it so I'm glad I still surprised people. Paige finding out who Emily is, is coming soon. But without further adieu here is Chapter 3...**_

* * *

Chapter 3

**Paige POV**

I don't know why this is upsetting me so much. Why the fact that Emily being like everyone bugged me, when Aria reacted kind of like how Emily did. I actually cared to the point where I spoke out of term to Emily. Where I got frustrated and hurt, at the fact that this girl I met two days ago, thought differently of me.

I spend the next period trying to forget about Emily, trying to forget the look in her eyes when she saw me walk in with the Montgomery's. I pretended not to see her with Hanna and another brunette, but the truth is my eyes never left her. Even when I walked passed her I stopped and looked back at her, and contemplated going to talk to her but I decided against it. When I saw her in class and she started talking to me, I totally forgot about how I felt this morning. She was nice and smiling and her dimples were just mesmerizing. It wasn't until she said something that reminded me of what I saw this morning, and a switch flipped inside of me. I had let my guard down with the first pretty girl I saw in the town. Literally the first girl I saw was Emily at that damn restaurant, when I moved into this new town. And just with one sentence I had written her off.

Well this year should be fun, especially since I have to be partners with her the whole year and it seems like we have every class together. I see her every time I walk into a new classroom, sitting with at least one of her three friends. Most of the time Emily is with a tall brunette that likes to glare at me. I'm usually not a sit in front of the class type of person, but I want to avoid her as much as I can. Since she always sits in the back I guess I'm the type of student that sits in the front and actually have to take notes and look productive .

"Hey someone is sitting there." I sit down and grab my notebook from my backpack taking the first seat by the window. I ignore the girl that's trying to get my attention and pull out my Sudoku puzzles. There was still five minutes before class started, and the girl didn't get that I didn't care if someone was sitting where I was. The only other open seat was next to Emily and I'll be damn if I have to move. The girl turns the desk counterclockwise so that I'm facing her as she hovers over the desk. This draws the attention of everyone in the class especially the attention of the raven haired beauty.

"You're new, so I'll give you the benefit of the doubt, and pretend like you didn't hear me. This is someone's seat so you need to move." The girls breath reeked of old gum. And sure enough the girls smacking bubble gum in her mouth as her green eyes stare me down. The girl was not the tallest; she was maybe a bit shorter than me or the same height. She looked like she worked out by her defined upper arm muscles but she wasn't the skinniest girl. She was still cute; the only thing holding her back was the wicked glare she was giving me behind her wavy blonde hair. I caught a glimpse of her lip curling just as I looked back down at my Sudoku puzzle. I also hear the gasp of my fellow classmates and feel them staring at this whole scene. All of a sudden she grabs my puzzle book from my hands and throws it on the floor.

"You seriously don't what to mess with me." I say as I rise from my desk. Yeah I was right we were the same height. And now her face is turning a rosy pink as the class whispers and points subtlety at both of us.

"Oh so new girl thinks she's tough?" Her finger jabs into my collarbone and I ball up my fist just a bit trying to calm down. I remember Devyn and how she wanted me to behave for the Montgomery's so that I could actually stay here for my senior year.

"I don't think that. But surely you think I'm a threat to you, otherwise you wouldn't have to prove yourself in front of everyone." This makes her face turn bright red as she looks around the room to the kids who are "Oohing". Well this isn't exactly a low profile, shit if Devyn was here she would seriously slap me at the way I'm acting on my first day. Well I started it, might as well stay with it, that is until I see a pair of rich brown eyes staring at me out of the corner of my eye. I break my stare from the other girl when I feel something pressing into my side lightly. I look to see that Emily is handing me my Sudoku book.

"Leave her alone, Liv." The girl, Liv, seems to be taken back by Emily's presence but recovers with a smirk and a wicked laugh.

"Is basketball Barbie over here your friend?" She points at Emily who is a half step in front of me and has anger in her eyes. But before anything else happens the teacher welcomes everyone to class and we all take our seats. Liv glares at me and her friend that was supposed to sit where I am takes the seat next to Emily. I spend the rest of the class zoning in and out of whatever the teacher is talking about. Mostly talking about the syllabus so, I don't feel so bad tuning out the teacher since there is a print out. When class ended, I took my time packing up my things and leaving the classroom since I have free period. But as I walk to my locker I'm ambushed by three girls, one being Liv.

"I don't care if prom princess is your friend or not. But you better watch your back because no one makes me look stupid." Liv shoves passed me and her two goons do the same. I'm angry naturally, but I'm an angry person in general. I've had so much anger in me building up the last 10 years that I want to snap at this girl, but instead I think about Devyn and take a deep breath.

"Paige?" I hear a soft voice and turn to see the small woman eyeing me carefully. The smile that is usually on her face is replaced with a frown laced with worry. "Is everything alright?"

"Yeah I'm totally fine. Just a bit...overwhelmed with the new school." I'm not lying, I've only been at this school for four periods, and already I'm contemplating doing something to get myself get a new placement.

"I understand. How about we go for some lunch and talk?" Ella offers with a small smile. I've only known her for two days and already, I know that something is wrong when there isn't a smile on her kind face. I really like Ella, she's been one of the most laid back foster parents I've had. Mr. Montgomery is also relaxed, well from what I saw yesterday, it doesn't really surprise me that their kids were so understanding and just chill. When I first met Ella I thought her kindness was just a front for when Devyn was here. But after she took me shopping I could tell that she is like the best woman.

"Okay sounds good. Hey, has Devyn called at all?" I ask nervously to Ella and her eyebrow rises a bit with the confused look. "Um I mean Ms. Moreno. Sorry, I've just known her almost the entirety of my life." I follow her into the teacher parking lot into her grey Jeep awaiting an answer from her.

"No, I understand why you address her as Devyn. But I was just wondering why you asked. Was she supposed to check up on you already?" She pulls out of the parking lot and turns onto the main road going into downtown, only taking about two minutes.

"No she wasn't supposed to but I was just...wondering." We pull up to a place called the Rear Window Brew, it was a small cafe that was in the corner of the town square. Ella and I order two lemonades and two Panini's and wait at a table next to the window.

"So how was your first day of school? Have you made any friends?" I smile to myself knowing that this is a question that all the parents in movies ask their kids after their first day at a new school. Ella made me feel like I have been her kid from the very beginning, like I didn't go through the things I did. And that thought kind of scared me and comforted me all at once.

"Classes have been fine, I went before first period to almost all my teachers to get my packets and they all seem nice. And uh, does Aria count?" I say with a nervous smile as the waitress comes to bring us our food. I didn't really associate with any people in class unless I had to. Like with Emily in Biology, it was necessary but that would be a good example of why I don't make friends in and out of the foster system. I've always been a lone wolf pack after Emmy left.

"Yeah Aria counts. She takes awhile to warm up to her new foster siblings, so I'm surprised that you two are getting along after spending a few hours together." I start to eat my sandwich in a rush realizing how hungry I actually am. I woke up late and only had time to grab a Poptart on the way out. I meant to stop by the cafeteria when I got to school, but just started heading to teachers. And I avoided going to lunch, it might have been over dramatic but I didn't feel like facing Emily after what I said to her in biology.

"Yeah we have a lot in common actually, and we have a few classes together." Aria and I had a mutual liking for books; I mean it was no surprise after our brief interaction at Target that books were just one of the first things we had in common. We also had similar taste in music and we also were both very artistic in a way. Aria liked photography and I liked to draw. Drawing was something simple; you didn't need fancy equipment to do it. So for someone like me, who doesn't really have much money, being able to create art from paper and pencils were gold.

"Well that's good. You didn't run into Emily or Arias other friends?" Damn it. Every time I try to forget about Emily, she always seems to come back into my mind.

"Yeah um, Emily is actually in all my classes so far. And her friends are in some of them too but I didn't talk to them." I still can't figure out, for the life of me why Emily's comment got to me so much. It makes no sense, there have been people who've said and done a lot worse to me and I still wasn't as agitated as I was with Emily.

"Well you should join a club or a sport team, maybe meet some more people besides your foster family." She smiles genuinely at me. But I don't think I'll join any club, I like to fly under the radar for as long as possible. I don't do clubs and I definitely don't do sports teams.

"Yeah well, I was looking into playing basketball but I think I'm just going to focus on my classes." As much as I would love to actually play with people who actually know what they're doing, I just don't think I'm good enough to make the team.

"Well if you do basketball you should talk to Emily about it, because she's the team captain. And maybe you, Ruben, and Mike and can play together." And there goes Emily mention number 50, at this rate I will never forget about Emily as long as I'm in Rosewood.

"I can still play with them. But I don't think I'll be joining the team." I finish off my lemonade and just start to draw circles on the glass as I wait from Ella to finish her meal.

"Whatever you decide Paige." We talk a bit more about English and basketball before we head back to the school for our last class. Ella has to teach freshman English, while I have AP Spanish 4. I usually love Spanish; I was good at it because of Devyn so it always reminded me of her whenever I was in a new placement. But I dreaded getting out of the jeep and walking into the school just for the simple possibility of Emily sitting in one of the seats.

I get out of the car and just stare up at the building and sigh before walking up the steps of the red brick building. The hallway is clearing out as students walk to class, when the warning bell rings. I walk to my locker dropping off a few books and picking up the Spanish book. I go to close the locker while looking down at the school map trying to find the quickest way to class since I'm running late. Before my hand reaches the locker door it slams and so do I against the row of lockers. My book hits the floor echoing throughout the hall, I look around and rounding the corner I see a smirking Liv. Great. I get up and dust off my clothes when I hear the final bell. Shit. I ran down the hall picking up my book and up the first flight of stairs and make it into the classroom before the teacher closes the door.

"_Oh gracias por estar con nosotros Señorita_." (**Oh thanks for joining us Miss.**) The teacher stops talking to the rest of the class to address me as I slip into the classroom as the last bell rings. I'm a bit out of breath and I look around the room to see my peers whispering as I stand in front of them taking in the annoyed tone of the teachers voice.

"_Lo siento Señor pero yo tenia una problema de mujeres._" (**I'm sorry Mr., but I had a woman problem.**) I grab a hold of my stomach, making a face that emphasizes pain. I hunch over a bit holding on to the side of his desk for support. I look at the short Latino man and his cheeks are bright red. I hear a few chuckles for some of my classmates before I look down and smile to myself for thinking quick on my feet.

"_Oh lo siento. Sólo tiene un asiento, hay uno por la Señorita Fields_"(**Oh I'm sorry. Just have a seat, there's one by Ms. Fields**) I nod my head and turn to see the open desk by none other than Emily.

I sheepishly walk over to my desk still hearing some whispers as I walk down the row. 'Did you hear she picked a fight with Liv?' That was the same question I kept hearing during my longest walk to the back of the room. I sit down and don't even pay attention to Emily, but I don't feel her looking at me so out of the corner of my eye I see that she's just looking at the teacher and writing things down. I follow her movements and retrieve my notebook from my bag. Like the rest of my classes I zoned in and out as the teacher spoke but this time I was very much aware of the girl I've been trying to avoid.

* * *

**Emily's POV**

Well, trying to talk to Paige isn't really working out. And it's not like I could talk to my friends about any of this, because they don't know I'm adopted. I tried to talk to Paige after I found out who she was, but she kept avoiding me and sitting in the front of the class as soon as she saw me. I admit, I was a bit upset that she wouldn't even hear me out; but I guess it's only because she doesn't know my side. So after trying to get her to talk to me before and after 2nd and 3rd period, I just decided to give her space.

But that quickly turned when I heard commotion at the beginning of our fourth period class. I was talking to Spencer when my attention was drawn to the screeching desk being turned. I see the schools bully, Liv, come face to face with Paige who looks calm while bringing her attention back to a book in her hands. I tried to mind my own business, but the second that Paige got up and her book flew across the floor was when I knew I had to stand up.

Liv had always been an old rival of mine. We were friends when I first moved here, but we soon grew distant with the amount of homework, sports and clubs I did. We were actually co captains of the varsity basketball team our sophomore year, until half way through she was suspended from the team and wasn't allowed to join the following year. I wasn't scared of Liv, she liked to act tough especially since she had her own little posse with her; but I never fell for the act. Until today, I think I was the only one that stood up to her.

During free period, I went to Sam's to get some reading done before I had to come back to school for Spanish. It was quiet in the restaurant as I sit at the counter sipping on my strawberry lemonade reading my history textbook.

"You know you don't look very happy Em." Sam makes his way over to me while wiping down the counter and I rest my book on top of my backpack.

"Sam. Can I ask you something?" I cup the glass with both my hands making circles out of the condensation with my thumb. I tried to talk myself out of asking Sam this question, but it's been bugging me ever since biology.

"Sure 's on your mind?" He sets the towel down and leans over the bar listening intently to me.

"Do you believe in fate?" Paige came to mind as I asked the question. There was a reason that she was placed with the Montgomery's, out of all of the places in the county she ended up here.

"Well I believe that everything happens for a reason. But I don't think that things are inevitable to you. Why do you ask?" He starts wiping the bar top again, and gets me a refill of my drink. Before coming back and waiting for my response to his question.

"Just curious. I've just been thinking a lot about when I was in foster care, and the people I met." I look down sheepishly knowing that I shouldn't have brought it up, Sam always felt uncomfortable talking about my past.

"Em you know that life is behind you now, has been for 10 years. I'm sure the kids that you knew when you were in it were probably adopted too." Yup exactly what I thought he was going to say. Maybe this is another reason that I never told my friends that I was adopted, because of the fear of them treating me differently. Kind of like Sam's whole demeanor changes whenever I bring it up.

"But what if they weren't. What if she stayed and has had a terrible life? I wish that I would have kept in contact with her." I finally say and my voice is a bit louder than I intended it to be.

"She? Not her again." His voice is raised a bit too, as he stops cleaning the bar top and looks at me with a hard expression. "Emily, I mean I understood when you first moved but what bought this on now? I'm sure your friend was adopted Emily. You can't think that keeping in contact would have been good for either of you. You have a good life here Em, with people that love you and care about you." His face softens up but the damage is already done.

"Today is her birthday, Sam! Why do you think I hate celebrating 'Gotcha' Day? All I do is think about her. She was my best friend and she did so much for me during the two years I knew her. She cared about me and I did to, I still care about her."

"Emily..." Sam reaches for my hand but I know that this hurt that I feel inside won't go away with his comforting touch. I could talk to Sam about a lot of things but I couldn't talk to him about foster care. He always just dismissed the topic and tried to change the subject.

"No."I move away from his touch and turn on the bar stool and start to pack up my books and supplies slinging the bag onto my shoulders "I have to head back to school. I'll see you at dinner."

I've been sitting at my seat in Spanish for 10 minutes now as the final bell rings. The notebook with the picture of Paige and I hasn't left my side since 2nd period when I found out who she was. I stare down at the photo and think back to what Sam said about how keeping in contact with Paige would have been bad. What if I would have fought harder to get more information on her back then?

So many questions are running through my mind right now and I want to ask her but I know I can't. Just then I hear the teacher say my name and I see that Paige is at the front of the class looking at me with defeated eyes. She takes the open seat next to me, but doesn't try to greet me or anything. So I give up for the time being and start taking notes about the syllabus.

"Okay class. This is the only time that you will be allowed to speak English in class. We are going to just pair up and introduce yourselves to one another. But you must write a short paper, in Spanish, about what you learned about your partner. Now don't slack off on this paper, because I will pick random people to present if I feel like your papers lacks authenticity. Papers will be due on Friday. Now pair up." The class groans but I knew what this teacher was like, I've had him every year for Spanish. Usually Hanna was in class with me to pair up with, but since this wasn't a mandatory class anymore she decided to leave me in the class without her. Everyone quickly paired up leaving Paige and I sitting at our desks squirming. Neither one of us wanted to face the fact that we were each other's partner. I wanted to talk to Paige but not under these terms, where she was avoiding me at all costs.

"Ms. Fields is there a problem here?" I look up at the Latino man who always wore a colored plaid shirt with a crooked tie. After three years of being in his class he never failed to be consistent. He was wearing a dark blue and white plaid button down with a crooked comic tie today. Mr. Guerrero was no older than 30 years old and he wasn't bad looking. He was one of the young teachers that girls would drool over, especially with the hint of his Spanish accent shining through whenever he spoke English.

"No Mr. Guerrero, there is no problem." I smile up at the teacher pushing up my glasses and then looking back down at my notebook.

"Okay then. Looks like you two are partners so get to it." He looks around to confirm that we were the only two left without partners. He looks at Paige before his cheeks turn a bright red before nodding and walking to the front of class. I guess he was still embarrassed by their interaction at the beginning of class. Before I turn to face Paige, I hear her say something.

"I think I know all I need to know about you." I look at her and she's just writing in a notebook avoiding eye contact with me.

"Excuse me?"

"The assignment is to write about your partner and I think I know enough to write about you." She still isn't looking up at me but continues to focus on her notebook.

"I highly doubt that." As if I wasn't irritated with the whole conversation with Sam, the fact that Paige was being a bitch to me wasn't helping anything.

"It's not that hard to find out about the most popular girl in school." She sets her pencils down and closes her notebook. She turns to finally look at me before she continues on. "You always have a group of friends with you, whether you're in class or not you are never alone. You are captain of the Varsity basketball team and have been since your freshmen year. You were prom queen last year and will most likely be again this year. Am I missing anything else?"

"You know you've changed…" She raises an eyebrow and I quickly recover. "From yesterday. You seemed nice when I first met you, but now you are just being hypocritical. You say that I'm judging you but that's all you're doing. You are judging me based off of what a yearbook says. You know that's not my whole life."

"Well sorry for leaving out that you're probably in Girl Scouts, Miss perfect." She goes back to her stupid notebook and not being interested in the conversation anymore. She was so different then how she was yesterday and I think that's what's hurting my feelings more.

"I'm not perfect. And you're being a jerk. You don't know what I have been through." I feel my eyes starting to burn but I refuse to cry right now. I only had to wait 5 minutes before classes ended and there is no way in hell that I was going to let Paige see how much she's actually hurting me.

"Oh sorry for not putting priority over you princess. But my life hasn't been sunshine and rainbows."

"My mom died two years ago...I lost my best friend..." Her head snaps up as I confess my loss and she turns to look at me with sympathetic eyes. I can tell that she feels bad for me, and that she wishes that she hadn't even started this because she opens her mouth with sadness in her eyes but I stop her. She doesn't get to have the last word, she doesn't get to be a bitch to me and me just sit here and take it. "I know you've probably been through a lot being in the system, but you don't have a monopoly for pain Paige. Everyone has their own shit in their lives so maybe if you stopped thinking about yourself for one second you could see that." The bell rings and I grab my bag and head out the door with people staring at me. I was foolish to believe that the girl I knew years ago would still be the same, would act the same. I head over to my car and throw the bag on the passenger's seat in a rage as I try to stop the tears from streaming down my face. Stupid glasses are fogging up again. The Paige I knew was never like this. I mean I know that we were only seven, but she always was caring for people. She always got along with the other foster kids and was kind. Kind of how like she was when I met her yesterday on my way to basketball, and how she was this morning before my stupid comment.

Well I guess I wasted 10 years wondering about how Paige turned out for this moment that I wish would have never happened in the first place. Maybe Sam was right keeping in contact with her when we were younger wouldn't have allowed me to move on with my new life. It also would have probably hurt me more than she already had. Fuck. She was never liked that when we were younger, like nowhere near it.

Is it wrong of me to want that girl back? To want my best friend that I told everything too? Because even though Spencer, Hanna, and Aria were great, I couldn't tell them about my time in foster care. Paige was the only one who knew what it was like. Water starts to well up in my eyes again and I wish that I didn't have basketball conditioning right now. I just wanted to go home and lock myself in my room, maybe I was just being over dramatic but it didn't make the reality hurt any less.

I wipe my eyes and clean my glasses off before putting them on so that I could drive to the pharmacy. I had called in my prescription this morning so they would be ready by the time I got out of school. I park right in front of Sam's and walk next door to the pharmacy picking up my contacts and then heading over to Sam's to get a Chicken Wrap before conditioning. I greet Andy and she places my to-go order in front of me before I have time to open my mouth.

"Sam said that when you came he wanted to have a quick talk with you. He's in the back." I sigh but thank her for the order as I make my way to the back where Sam and Charli are over the stove making orders. When Sam sees me he whispers to Charli and they both look at me before Charli heads on the door to the counter.

"Emily, I just wanted to apologize for what I said earlier. I was out of line; I should have been more sensitive to your problems." He wipes his hands on his apron and walks closer to me. I knew that Sam was speaking from his heart but a part of me knows that his opinion of the foster system will never change.

"Sam it's okay. You were right anyways. Look I still have to change so I'll see you later." I try to say fast to end this awful conversation from happening but it's unsuccessful when he reaches for my shoulder.

"Emily?" I turn to him with my arms still crossed. "You know I didn't want to be right about this. That if I could get in contact with your friend for you then I would. Because I know how much you care about her." I simply show him a tight smile and walk out the kitchen door grabbing my food

* * *

"What are you doing here? I thought I saw Aria and your brother's leave." I grab my stuff from the trunk and make my way to the gym where I hear Paige's footsteps following closely behind me.

"They did. Mrs. Montgomery is at meetings so I stayed behind to talk to a few teachers and decide to stick around until basketball started." I stop as I hear the last part of what she's saying.

"So you're joining the team?" I ask in disbelief because the Paige I knew would have never join a school team. She always said she played for fun not for show. I smile at her for a second before I remember the things she said earlier.

"No I wanted to apologize for being a jerk to you. You're right, I need to learn how to get my head out of my ass and have empathy for others." My eyes widen as she speaks and I realize that the Paige I knew was still there. I remember how Paige never liked people being mad at her, and who always apologized for things even when it's not her fault.

"I get it Paige." I raise my hand to stop her from talking because I feel like if we continue on then somehow we would get into another argument.

"Why do you keep saying that? That you get it? Seriously everyone is a dick to me like Liv, whenever I move to a new place. And I understand why Aria is nice to me, but why are you being so forgiving?" She looked more kind now then she did earlier, she looked like the little girl I was friends with 10 years ago. She didn't have a trace of anger in her voice it was more like confusion than anything.

"Because I do get it, believe it or not I know what it's like to be like you. I have to go get conditioning started." I start to walk away but I feel that I owe her something today. "Paige?" She turns around and I almost lose my nerve but I don't. "Happy birthday." I turn on my heels and walk away to the gym taking bites of my wrap. I walk up to the gym door and turn one last time to smile back at Paige who is just standing in the middle of the parking lot with her mouth hanging open. Just the reaction I wanted.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N. Yay it's Wednesday guys! you know what that means.. Hump day! Oh yeah and Update day!**

**Thank You again for all the amazing reviews. A few of the reviews I got were how could I leave the last chpater hanging like that. Well to people who have read my stories before know I'm really big on cliffhangers. So you have been warn, I like cliffhangers ALOT guys so i hope you guys don't mind that. **

**_Enjoy Chapter 4 Y'all!_**

* * *

Chapter 4

**Paige's POV**

"Hey Aria, did you tell anyone it was my birthday?"I ask as I make it into the car, Aria had taken the boys home while we stayed for Ella's meetings. I sit in the car and wait with Aria for her mom to come to the car. I look back at the now closed gym door thinking about Emily. How did she know my birthday? I guess I was still a bit shocked that someone actually cared enough to wish me a happy birthday. She finally looks up from her phone with doe eyes and a smile.

"Yeah I just texted Hanna, Spencer and Emily that I couldn't go out with them tonight. You know, because we are having a small birthday dinner for you." Her smile was sincere and she went back to texting as I sat in the back seat thinking of the raven haired girl.

Maybe I was wrong about her after all; I was just too quick to judge the first person outside of my foster family. She had the right to call me out in Spanish class; I don't think anyone has ever done that like talked to me in that. She seemed like such a pushover and a good girl but to hear her words hit me hard, because it was true. I spend a lot of time making people feel sorry for me because I hate the shit that the world has dealt me, when the world deals crappy hands to everyone in different ways.

We drive back to the house in silence, while Aria was texting and I was doing my Sudoku puzzle. Damn it I needed to buy another book, I only have four more puzzles left. That'll last me probably until the morning.

When I reached my room, I found a small envelope on my bed with a wrapped box sitting in the middle of the bed. I walk over and unwrap the box first revealing a sketch pad and a set of drawing pencils. I trace over the small silver print along one side of each blue pencil in the set of 19, each one with a different lead hardness level at the end of the pencils. I knew that these pencils were expensive on their own. The cheapest was as low as $1.50, but a tin set of these pencils I had always wanted to buy. I pick up the small envelope and noticed the handwriting the closer it got to me. Devyn, I thought that she had forgotten about calling me and wishing me a happy birthday and yet she still surprises me with a birthday gift from 50 miles away. I smile at the presents in my hands when I'm brought back to reality and being called to dinner.

The dinner was nice and different; I don't think I've had a family celebrate my birthday since I was 9. Devyn called after dinner and I got to tell her how my day was. She asked the questions that Ella asked me earlier, again bringing a smile to my face. She asked quite a bit about my new siblings and asked about friends, that's how Emily was brought up. But out of embarrassment I didn't feel like going into detail about my either one of our outbursts. It fell quiet as I sat in the living room with the phone to my ear, I could hear the steady breathing of Devyn on the other line.

"Devyn why did you pick the Montgomery's for me now?" I asked nervously looking up to make sure that my new family didn't hear me but they were too preoccupied with their own things.

"Because they seemed like a good fit for you as well as the town. I thought that you could makes some friends there..."

"But why not Rosewood after Ravenswood? I mean they are really close." It was something that I had meant to ask her the first day she brought me here because it felt like I kept moving further and further away from Ravenswood just to be brought back around it.

"Paige it's complicated okay? You're there now, so just enjoy it." I got off the topic when I heard the edge in her voice. She talked a bit more and I listened quietly, it was nice to hear her voice, it made today worth it. But throughout the whole night, I thought of Emily, still trying to understand why she would wish me a happy birthday. I just met her.

Well this is the question I've been asking myself for a few weeks now. I mean I could have asked her but I feel like I've already done enough damage. Sure I apologized to her, but it's not like we were best friends or anything. We talk whenever we are in class but it's nothing too in depth. I haven't told her my life story and she hasn't told me hers, I don't really think she would want to hear it anyways. There's a lot of questions I wanted to ask her though, like what she meant by she was like me. It threw me off quite a bit on top of her saying happy birthday to me. But I guess my questions could wait.

"Hey Paige, want to get a headstart on the Spanish homework?" I close my locker door to answer the voice behind it. Emily is leaning effortlessly against the space between mine and Aria's lockers looking at me. I see Spencer and Hanna approaching fast and Aria takes notice of my lack of words, so I open my mouth to answer my new friend.

"Sure. Do you want to meet in the library during free period?" I say as I catch the basketball Mike throws to me from across the hall.

See this is what I'm talking about, we only talk when it came to school or basketball. I actually decided to go to the conditioning sessions with Emily since one day she was ranting about how they lost a lot of great players this year because they graduated. I made no promises to her but I told her I would go to the sessions to get into shape then decide when it came closer to try outs whether I wanted to be on the team or not.

"Yeah sure. I'll see you then." Emily smiles at me before she pushes herself off the lockers to join her three friends. I look back at the girl before heading the opposite way to the gym, I don't think I could ever get over that girl's beauty.

I usually hang out with Mike and Ruben in the gym during lunch, but today they have detention. I still hung out in the gym today and Mike let me burrow his basketball so I could shoot around. It was nice of Mike and Ruben to let me hang out with them, I could tell they genuinely liked me. Aria always asked me to join them for lunch but I always declined the offer because I didn't know Spencer or Hanna well enough to keep a conversation going. Besides Spencer liked to look at me like I was a damn alien.

After changing into some shorts in the girls bathroom I start to warm up with lay ups and then begin to shoot free throws building up a sweat since we weren't going to have conditioning today. A half hour later I cool down by just working on my form for jump shots. Ever since I started going to conditioning with Emily I've learned that I have a lot to work on if I was going to be on the same level as the rest of the team. I mean I could play, but I just had to refine my form.

"So, new girl thinks she can play basketball?" Great just what I needed, Liv's voice echoing throughout the only place I could think.

"Well I am here with a basketball in my hand." I hold the basketball up and dribble it back to the three point line and jump up releasing the ball in mid air and keeping arm up and my hand pointed in the direction of the hoop as the ball makes a 'swoosh' sound. It was a clean shot, no backboard or rim, just pure net. I turn around to see Liv with crossed arms looking at the hoop with a look that could kill. I smile at her and the two girls who seem to follow her everywhere. "So I think that yes, new girl can play ball. By the way, new girls' name is Paige. Paige McCullers."

"I don't give a shit what your name is." She takes steps closer to me but I hold my ground as her heavy footsteps make their way across the gym to half court where I awaited her. The rest of her posse stays back towards one of the entrances looking out the glass window. "I've been looking for you."

"You have? Aw do you have a little crush on me? I'm flattered really, but you're just not my type Liv." I rest the basketball on my hip and drape my arm over it seeing as this conversation isn't coming to an end anytime soon. I just simply smirk as I see the deep red color fill her cheeks from the familiar embarrassment.

"I'm not a fucking dyke." She pushes me back with her fingers and it just makes me smile more that I learned new ways to get under her skin. Ever since the interaction on the first day of school, I've gotten shoved against lockers and tripped in the hallway. I've even gotten teased about being a foster kid, by the second day of school everyone knew I was a foster and I was a walking target for bullies like Liv. But I could handle it; I still kept my head up high as I went through my days hearing the whispers after I walk passed a group of people.

"Woah, there is no need for that word. You hurt my feelings." I place my free hand over my heart faking that she hurt my feelings but in truth it did. That word always made me cringe and I hated when bigoted assholes used it to make themselves seems superior.

"So you're a dyke too? I always heard foster kids turned the other way." A smirk starts to appear on her lips and I know that I slipped by giving her something that she could use against me at some point. No one knew I was gay in this school yet, except these three now. I falter a bit while I'm kicking myself for my full disclosure problem. That is until I hear another voice from the opposite end of the gym echo in these walls.

"Liv just leave her alone and let's just go. I hear a teacher coming." The light brown haired girl with green eyes says to the bigger girl. I noticed that that girl was in a few of my classes without Liv, as well as on the basketball team. She always kept to herself whenever she wasn't by Liv's side. I think her name started with a T but I wasn't too sure.

"Taylor shut up." The other girl retreated and fell back on the door looking out the small window into the hallway. Liv grabs the basketball out of my hands and starts to dribble around me slowly as I tried to swipe the ball back. "You know you have to be quicker than that if you want to replace me on this team, new girl."

"First, my name is Paige not new girl and second, you're not even on the team, I've never seen you at condition-." I turn to face her but with a swift turn that Liv was expecting I got the wind knocked out of me. I feel the basketball jam into my stomach with such force that my knees buckle making me fall on the floor. I hold my stomach as the pain becomes sharper with every breath I take. Her hand is still resting on the ball that's pressed up against my gut when she leans forward to whisper in my ear.

"This is my school, new girl. You play by my rules, and my rules say you don't join the team." The pressure of the ball is lifted as she stands up and begins to walk away from me. The ball bounces to the floor as I hunch over gripping at my stomach. I stumble forward from trying to stand up to regain air in my lungs but it seems like there isn't enough air in the world right now. I look up to see the glimpse of Liv high five-ing the taller girl who's looking at me laughing. "Later new girl!" Liv turns waving a hand up in the air to me. Before the girls leave the gym I see Taylor looking back at me. Maybe it was the lack of oxygen to my brain but it looks like she felt sorry for me. Like she wanted to come over and help me but quickly Liv snaps her fingers to get Taylor's attention and the gym door closes.

Fuck this. This whole not fighting back thing isn't working for me. I crawl over to the bleachers and rest my back on the bottom row. How am I supposed to deal with this for a whole fucking year? My chest heaves as I shadowing pressure on my chest continues. I didn't know girls could be this violent, that's it this whole nice girls thing is going out the window. The next time someone tries to mess with me I will knock them out. Damn it, there's the bell for next classes, shit I'm suppose to meet Emily. I turn to my side and try to place my knee to hoist me up by kicking myself up from the ground but it's no use, I fall back hard onto the rough blue bleachers.

"Paige?" My head whips to my left and I see Emily at the door with Spencer. Emily runs over to me and kneels down next to me and Spencer follows her. "What the hell happened?" Her arms are hovering over me as if she is afraid of hurting me more.

"It's nothing I can't handle. Someone really doesn't like me." I put on a smile and wave it off but the look in her eyes say that she's not letting it go. Suddenly the anger filled eyes that I was met with the first day of school appears.

"It was Liv huh?" Her nostrils are flared and her balled up.

"Yeah. Well, she doesn't like that I stood up to her the first day and now she thinks I'm taking her team. Whatever that means." Again I try to wave it off and try to lift myself onto the first bleacher step but the pain I flinch at the pain coming from my ribs.

"Where the hell is she?" Emily stands up abruptly and looks around the empty gym and stares at the right entrance where Liv and her crew had entered and exited from.

"Emily it's fine. I'm fine. Like I said nothing I can't handle."

"No that girl needs to be put in her place. She's been bullying people since JV, her and her damn crew." Emily kneels down next to me again and analyzes the damage with hatred in her eyes.

"Emily relax. Paige said she could handle it. It's not your battle to fight." Spencer rests her hand on Emily's shoulder and I watch the exchange in awe. It's as if the calmness of Spencer was transferred to Emily because the anger that she had was swept away. Emily looked at me and took a deep breath before nodding, as if to agree with Spencer's last statement. "I have to get to French but I'll see you for our date?" Emily nods again and I feel a sudden ache in my heart as I see the slender brunette walk out the gym.

Emily helps me up and her touch is gentle as she lifts me up to the first bleacher step. I didn't know that Emily was gay. And that she was dating her friend. Hmm well more power to her, Spencer might have avoided me but I didn't fail to notice the strong presence that came with Spencer. Spencer was cute and I could see how she and Emily would fit. They are a good looking couple, with the mixture of Emily's olive toned skin and the creamy complexion of Spencer. Whenever they were in their groups I noticed that Spencer and Emily were always next to each other, whether they be walking or sitting at a table. I guess I should have figured it out a while ago.

"So how long have you and Spencer been dating?" I ask as I lay down on the bleachers with my hands reached out behind me. I look to the side where Emily is sitting down facing me on the floor, she has a perplexed look on her face as she forehead scrunches together in confusion.

"Oh um Spencer and I are just friends. We have a DOUBLE date with our boyfriends tonight." I slap my hand on my forehead at my stupidity, but suddenly hear Emily's laugh echo the soon to be occupied gym.

"Sorry, I just thought, since you guys are always together and all and then her comment. Sorry for assuming." I sit up too quickly that makes my head spin, which just makes her laugh even more at me.

"It's fine. Just a misunderstanding. Why don't we head to the library since the P.E teacher should be here any minute." I nod my head and slowly get up from the bleachers inhaling a big mouthful of air. Yeah this was going to leave a mark, eh oh well, battle scars never hurt someone. I barely make out of the gym, with the help of Emily's strong hands before the P.E. teacher came with his rowdy freshmen.

She picked up my bag and tossed it over her shoulder and picked up the basketball as well. Damn she was strong, carrying everything plus allowing me to use her body as support, as we walked to the library. The tardy bell rang as a few students were running through the halls, the moment I saw Ruben running in my direction I stood up straight and grabbed the basketball from Emily's hands. I bounced it in front of him and he laughed as he dribbled away to class yelling 'thank you' before rounding the corner.

Emily looked at me as I wait for him to disappear before slumping back to her side where her right arm found its way to my side as I draped my left arm around her neck. I usually could handle injury but this time it hurt to even breathe let alone walk through halls with kids bumping into you and plus the closeness from being near Emily was nice. Emily and I were friends yes, but I won't deny that she's attractive and that I had some hope that she actually was dating Spencer, because then I might have a chance. But I guess her boyfriend is a lucky one. Then again I think about three weeks ago and the awful way I treated her and think about how she still can tolerate me enough to be friends/ lab partners.

We slowly make our way into the library doors and the librarian gives us a troubled look as we sit at the first table closest to the door. I plop myself into the seat and that was a mistake that will cost me a few breathes. I throw my head back in pain and when I look up I see Liv looking through the door window with her taller friend as they smile before turning to each other . Emily takes out her books and is taking out a pencil as my eyes are set on the library door.

"Can I ask you something?" Emily's eyes snap up and I feel her staring at me as my attention goes back to door. She turns to see what I'm looking at but the girls are already gone.

"Yeah sure." She drops her backpack and folds her hands on top of the table ready for my question. I notice the crinkle on her forehead and I look closer and see that she isn't making eye contact with me, looking a bit nervous.

"Why does Liv say it's her team, I haven't seen her at any of the sessions?" Emily's nervousness quickly left as the question left my mouth and her chest rose up in a deep breath as if she was holding it in that moment.

"Ah yeah. She was suspended from the team the beginning of our sophomore year. It was one of our first games and we were winning. One of the girls from the opposite team tripped her, whether on purpose or not, I don't know. But Liv was beyond pissed and just went up to the girl and punched her. She broke her nose and the girl had to be taken out by ambulance because they said she might have had a concussion by the way that her head hit the floor. Coach took her off the team and told her she wasn't allowed to join again." She grabs a purple notebook with our sharks mascot sticker on it and places it on top of her Spanish textbook.

"Holy crap. Are you serious? And she still thinks it's her team?" I hear the librarian from behind me shush me and I let out a quick sorry before leaning forward to hear the rest of what Emily has to say.

"Yeah well one of her girls is still on the team, Taylor. So she likes to think she has some power over it. But now the girls of the field hockey team have to deal with her." She shrugs it off and I can tell with the coldness of her voice that her dislike for Liv was more than she lead on to be.

"They let her back on a team after that? The school is asking for a damn lawsuit."

"Yeah the field hockey coach wanted her and wouldn't take no for an answer. She has to do weekly anger management sessions in order to stay on the team though." She says nonchalantly.

"We'll they aren't working." I reach over for my backpack as I chuckle at the different definitions of anger management that we had. Well I guess I would hate to see her before she had the anger management because apparently she was worse.

"I really should talk to her. She can't be bullying people anymore especially you, you haven't done anything to her." I saw the hatred in her eyes for the third time since I've known Emily as she spoke about Liv more.

"Why do you think you have to protect me? I can handle Liv." I look up from my backpack to be met with her now soften brown eyes staring into me, it's as if she was somewhere else. The corners of her pink lips turn downwards as if something had upset her. My eyebrow rises and I wave my hand in front of her beautiful face. She shakes her head and blinks a few times before showing me a forced smile.

"Because I have way too much empathy. I'll go get you an ice pack though because I can see you flinching with every breath you take. Just get started on the assignment and I'll be right back." Emily gets up from her seat walking out of the library towards the gym. I lean back trying to get more air in my lungs, but I let out a high pitched grunt. Even 20 minutes after the incident I found it hard to breathe with some sort of pain.

But if I think of something else then the pain won't be the bad, so I grab my Spanish book and realize that I hadn't gotten my notebook from my locker, so I have no paper. I contemplate going to my locker but remember that it's on the other side of the school. I look over to see Emily's purple notebook and figured that she wouldn't mind me taking a piece of paper to start. Me being my clumsy self, I drop her notebook off the side of the table. I groan when I realize that in order to get it I had to bend down. I suck in a large amount of air before I pick up the notebook and sigh when I see that I had dropped some papers on the floor. Damn it, the world really isn't on my side today, making me do extra when it knows I'm hurting. Suddenly the librarian shushes me again giving me a stern look causing me to roll my eyes, it's not like anyone else was in the library.

I get up from my seat and kneel down picking up the three notes from her to her friends and a picture. As I grab a hold of the picture I stand up slowly keep my eyes fixated on the photo in front of me. I stuff the picture in my Spanish book and head out of the library. I feel so many emotions right now that I'm not even aware of Emily calling my name as I walk down the steps in front of the school.

"Paige! Where you going? I got the ice for you." My fingers are still touching the picture in my textbook as I stare out to the street. I don't even know what else to feel right now, I feel pissed more than sad but my eyes betray me when I feel the moisture creeping up. No, I will not do this again, I will not cry because of her again.

"Emmy?" I turn as I say my childhood friends name in a shaky voice. I see her smile deflate as I clutch onto the picture in my book. Her face lost all color and I knew it was true, I mean it had to be she had the same picture I did.

" Listen...Paige...I was going to tel-" What? She knew before this?

"How long have you known?!" I throw the picture to her and her face falls as the picture floats its way down to the cement stairs. How didn't I figure it out before? I look at her warm brown eyes and I see her fight back tears as she looks at me with the sadness I've seen before. The sadness that came when she found out she was adopted out and was leaving. All the memories of her leaving come back with that one look. I'm bought back to my birthday 10 years ago when I stared at her through the car window as she was driving away, away from me and to her new family.

"I figured it out after biology on the first day." Her now familiar voice breaks through my thoughts. So she's known for almost a month.

"Why didn't you tell me then?" I keep thinking about all the things that she said to me that first day of school. How she said I had changed, and that she was more like me than I thought, and how she understood where I was coming from. I now understand everything she said, it's like she calculated everything she said to me, I was just too dumb to put it together.

"I was trying to tell you that day but you were kinda being a jerk to me. I even dropped hints about who I was. I thought you got it for sure after I said happy birthday to you. But I knew you didn't when we talked the next day." My birthday. She remembered my birthday from 10 years ago? That means that she actually thought about me after she left. I turn away from her as the fresh information processes. "Paige... I'm Emmy but obviously I don't go by that nickname anymore. Look I know it's been 10 years since-" Her voice was really soft and soothing.

"I can't believe you remembered..." I whisper, more to myself than to her as I begin to walk down the rest of the steps.

"What do you mean? Of course I would remember you Paige. I never stopped wondering about you after I left. I even tried to get Casey to tell me about you." I hear her footsteps come down two steps leaving another two step between us. The pain and sadness in her voice makes the tears that I was trying to hold back escape as I turn to her and climb up those to steps to be in her face. The strong scent of her

"Screw you Emily. You don't get keep this from me and then act like the good person by saying that. You don't get to waltz back into my life like nothing happened." I move my hand in a animated way as the tears are uncontrollably falling down. It hurt that she kept this from me because the girl I knew wouldn't have kept something like that from me.

"Paige listen I'm sorry. I wanted to tell you but I thought that you may have not remembered me. And to be fair you came back into my life. I've always been in Rosewood; you are the one that moved here after 10 years." I walk down the steps with the intention of leaving the school and heading home. But Emily grabs on to my arm but I whip myself around yanking my arm away from her.

"Fuck you Emily. I cried myself to sleep for months after you left me there in that foster home. And I don't have a fucking say in where my next placement is. But believe me if I did I would ask for anywhere other than Rosewood, with you. I have to go." I knew I didn't mean it when the words left my mouth but I wanted her to believe that I did. I rather have her away from me right now. She had information on me that would just fuel the gasoline on the bullying fire that has risen in the hearts of my fellow Rosewood students. I quickly turn around and take off in a sprint in the direction the woods. I learned a shortcut through there one day that Mike, Ruben and I went out for a run, it only would take me 10 minutes to get back to the Montgomery house.

"Paige!" I hear as I break through the threshold of the mini forest, the pine smell enveloped my lungs. The familiar sharp pain starts to disappear as the adrenaline kicks in as I run through the dirt path. Taking giant strides and hearing the crunch of twigs underneath me soon becomes all back ground as my brain makes the connection of Emily and Rosewood. And I remember words from Devyn the day of my birthday when I asked her why now, her response making sense to me now.

_Paige it's complicated okay?_

A fresh new set of tears threaten to come out as I cross the woods threshold at the end of our street. I run with the tears in my eyes not bothering to wipe them because I knew that I wouldn't stop anytime soon. My head was spinning trying to make sense of everything that's happen in the last hour. I walk into the quiet house and walk over to the banister resting my still spinning head on the cold wood, allowing my tears to fall onto my purple Converse.

"Paige? You're home early." My eyes snap open hearing Byron's voice from behind me. I left my head up and wipe my eyes dry and compose myself as best as I can before answering him hoping I didn't sound distraught.

"Oh yeah, I have an open period Mr. Montgomery. Um do you think I could use the house phone to call Devyn?" I keep my back towards him because I know he would ask question just by looking at my face. I was grateful though when I heard his footsteps become distant.

"I don't see why not. I'll just be in my office if you need anything." I hear the door close and I walk over to the kitchen where the house phone is located. I pick up the wireless phone and walk to the living room so Byron wouldn't hear my conversation. I dial the number that I have learned over the last 12 years, since she has never changed her personal cell phone number since she got it. I let it ring a few time before almost hanging up but I hear her voice at the last second.

"Paige? Is something wrong?" She whispered into the phone and a wave of anger flooded over me. I felt the burning in my cheeks and the lump in my throat become bigger as the time passed.

"You knew she was here didn't you? That's why you didn't move me to Rosewood sooner because I might recognize her?" I yelled into the phone and regret it afterwards when I look back to make sure Byron didn't hear. But it seemed like he was on a phone call of his own because I could hear him from across the house.

"Paige, let me explain." She was still whispering and I heard the heavily breathing in her voice, as if she was walking somewhere.

"Please do, because I'm still trying to wrap my head around the fact that the only person I trusted lied to me." I pace around the living room trying to calm myself come but nothing was working. I see the couches with mountain full of colorful pillows and I wondered if screaming into them would help any.

"I did know that Emily was there. But I couldn't place you in the same town with her, I knew it would have hurt you more to be reunited with her and then have to get new placement in a few months." Her voice isn't a whisper anymore and I can no longer hear phones ringing and people talking in the background instead I know heard cars zooming by and the wind rustling against the microphone of her cell phone.

"So you're saying it was for my own good? You knew how much I missed her. God how many times did I call you crying asking about her?" My voice failed me as it cracked, I was trying to act tough and pissed off at Devyn but Emmy/Emily had always been a sore subject with me. When she was brought up I couldn't help but tear up, and this is sure not any different.

"I know Niñita but-" Her voice was soft and I could just imagine her in front of me with her gorgeous brown puppy dog eyes staring at me and her long arms coming closer to give me hug while she soothe me my smoothing down my hair and calming me down by talking in Spanish. I shake my head of the thought and wipe my stray tears clearing my throat so that my voice wouldn't fail me again.

"No, don't Niñita me. You knew the whole time she was here and you purposely placed me in other homes that were away from Rosewood." The anger is back and I ball up my fist so hard that my nails are digging into my skin.

"A part of me thought that you would forget about her Paige. But I knew that wasn't going to happen after you asked every year how she was. So since your last birthday I made up my mind that Rosewood would be your last placement, so that you could get your friend back." She sighed as she finally finished but I still wasn't satisfied.

"Why reunite us after 10 years? Why at all? She's going to go to college Devyn I'll just lose her as a friend again when she moves." Having Emily back into my life was bittersweet. I mean I'm hurt that she lied to me but Devyn's right, I get my friend back. But then the reality hits that we might not be friends a year from now since she'll probably go to college away from me. That's what made this conflicting, to enjoy our newly found friendship for a short time, or to not even bother so I would have to suffer with the loss of the same person again.

"Paige this is your last year in the system, you can stay in contact with her. And you know you are going to college too. I've seen your progress reports maybe you guys will go to nearby colleges. Think of this as a second chance Paige." It's as if Devyn read my mind and gave me her input on which choice to make.

"Why didn't you just tell me this? Instead of the mortifying way I found out and shit. Who knows if Emily would even want to be friends with me after what I said today." I finally sit down on the couch rest my head on the armrest and throw a pillow on top of my face.

"Paige, her file was closed after she was adopted out. Only her case workers had access to it, so I couldn't risk my job telling you. It was bad enough that I kept tabs on her." I nodded my head as if she could hear me but quickly caught myself and mumbled out a 'okay'. "Look I have to go. But I have to be in Rosewood next week, so ill give Ella a call and set up a time for us to catch up. Okay? But just talk to Emily don't be stubborn, you never know what she will say."

"Solo para ti."(**Only for you.)** I fling myself up from the couch and I'm suddenly reminded of the pain in my side. I slowly hobble over to the fridge looking for a bag of frozen peas or anything frozen.

"Esa es mi Niñita."(**That's my girl**.)

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**Another A/N: So I was thinking of doing a flashback but didn't know whose perspective you wanted to see(Paige or Emily or both?). So maybe you guys could help a bit? ANy input is appreciated guys! Hope you Enjoyed the chapter.**

**BTW how are you guys liking the Spanish? haha =)**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Well Wednesday is here again guys! So that means another update. So by popular demand it was requested to have Emily's POV for the flashback but also to have Paige's POV too. So it's both POV's but mostly focusing on Emily's. The timeline for Emily's POV is mid December of 2001 to August 21, 2003. Just in case you were wondering.**

**Thank you for all the reviews and readers,the input I for this story, is amazing, so thank you again. I love that you guys are enjoying it and i enjoy writing it for you guys.**

**Enjoy the Flashback chapter with mini Paily, it's pretty darn cute(Almost as cute as Evee, for those of you who read DP too).Here's chapter 5!**

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Chapter 5

**Emmy's POV**

"Why I have to leave Nana's, Case?" I play with the colorful knitted scarf my nana made me a few months back. The cold leather backseat creeping up in the holes of the scarf made me shiver in my booster seat. I look out the window to see the cold December morning blur past me, as I continue to run my fingers through the reddish pink scarf.

"Emmy I know you'll miss your Nana, but she can't take care of you anymore she's sick." Casey says, the nice lady that has been visiting me every week since I was a little baby. Her long blonde hair was in a ponytail, and usually when she looked at me I saw that she was happy but when she came to Nana's house I saw that she was tired and sad. The same look was on my Nana's face, when I kissed her and hugged her goodbye.

"I get to see nana again, right Case?" I fix my matching beanie as it starts to slip off of my hair making my bangs cover my face. My voice was hopeful because I hadn't been without my Nana ever. She's always been with me, since mommy wasn't here.

"I don't know kiddo. We'll see. You're going to meet some new kids okay Em. You'll live with this nice family until your Nana gets better." We pull up to a grey house with a few kids playing in the snow.

"Do they like coloring?" I look up at Casey as I reach for her hand to warm my cold fingers around her warm gloves.

"Yeah I think they do." She looks down at me, and her smile is happy but sad at the same time.

"I like it here then." I look at the kids again, some are bigger than me but I see a girl who looks my age sitting on top of a high pile of snow with a notebook. Casey is wheeling my luggage up the walkway, and I see all the kids stare at the both of us. My eyes start to water as the older kids start to point at me and laugh. Casey squeezes my hand but it doesn't help. I let go of her hand and put my hands over my face so that the older kids won't see me cry when I hear a voice making me peak through my fingers.

"Stop laughing! She don't have cooties or nothing." The small brown haired girl that I saw on the pile of snow earlier is standing next to me facing the kids, and I just hear the kids start to play again while the girl returns to her pile.

We reach the porch, where a man was sitting overlooking the kids playing. He rises to greet us both. They talk as I stare out to the girl who defended me, and it looks like she's drawing something. Then I see her hand reach into her pocket, and she takes out some crayons and begins to color whatever was on her paper. I smile at the girl, and it's as if she felt me looking at her because she looks up and turns her head making the red ball on top of her beanie move from side to side. She smiles at me and waves before going back to her coloring.

"Paige!" The man yells out to the yard, and the brown haired girl appears with her notebook under her arm. "This is Emil-"

"She likes to be called Emmy." Casey interjected and looks down at me with a tight smile, and I beamingly look between the three people in front of me.

"Right. You and Emmy are going to be sharing a room, so can you show her the house and the rules? If you need help, ask Alex to help okay?" Paige nods her head, and grabs my hand leading me away from the two adults.

"Mine and you's bathroom is here. That's our room, this is yours." She walks me up to the small bunk bed on the far side of the room. I look around the room noticing another bed; this one wasn't a bunk bed. "I'm up der. That's Alex's bed over der. Alex's a big girl almost sixsteen." I nod my head to Paige as I take in the room, mostly clean except for some coloring things by bed. I guess that's where Paige colors when she's not outside. "We sleep when that points to 8. Dinners at 5 and a half." She points over at a clock, but I can't tell time yet. I barely know my abc's. But the clock is marked with colorful sticky notes at the numbers 5 and 8.

"Thanks you." I put my coat and scarf on the bed before turning to the brown haired girl.

"Fors?" She says with a confused look.

"Not laughin."

"They just boogerheads, Emmy." She smiles, and for the first time I noticed how big and brown her eyes were. I could see the warmness of her eyes and how they were just so caring, just in the few minutes I knew her.

I've been here for six months now, and I've finally gotten into the swing of things. Where everything is how everything works. Paige is my best friend here we like to color together, well I color she draws stuff. Alex's kind of like our big sister she takes care of us, holding our hands as we walk over to the bus that takes us to school. Sometimes when she stays home sick, she waits for us at the bus stop sitting in the corner playing these puzzle books things.

Me and Paige sit on the bus together holding hands as she talk with a few of her friends on the bus. But we are always the last ones off the bus since our stop is the last. Paige is there to stick up for me when the older kids at school and at home pick on me. I don't talk very much unless it's to Paige or Alex, so I'm an easy target. She doesn't leave my side anymore during playtime. We usually sit together with our small group and play hopscotch or play on the swings when it isn't too cold.

"I'm scareded."

"Okay." She climbs down the ladder and hops under the covers of my bed. This was something that became a habit since I was afraid of the dark. Alex liked the room to be dark in order to fall asleep, so when she came in at her bedtime she turned off my night light. Sometimes I was actually asleep when she turned it off but most of the time I wasn't. That's when Paige came into my bed and talked to me until I fell asleep, but when I woke up in the morning she was always there with her warm palm resting on top of my hand.

But this time was different, Alex hadn't come into the room yet, but I could hear arguing coming from the other side of the door. The voices came closer to the door and could make out that one of them was Alex. I whimpered as the door flew open, but Paige had already felt me jump and put the blanket over us.

"Emmy shush." She put her hand to my lips and the tears slowly started to run down my cheek. "Be quiet or he come." We hear the heavy footsteps along with a slurring voice. Alex is whispering something about me, and Paige being here and after awhile the heavy footsteps leave the room. Finally the footsteps are far away and Paige lets go of my mouth letting my cries out. Too suddenly the covers are taken off of us and I press my face into Paige's chest and I feel her face pressing on top of my head with her arms wrapping around me tightly.

"Are you two okay?" Alex's soft voice breaks through the barrier that is Paige. Alex runs her hand down mine and Paige's hair when I feel her head nod against mine. "See you do what I tell you to, and you'll be okay. Don't be scared, he's gone." This wasn't the last time out foster dad came into our room after drinking but every time he did, I had Paige there to calm me down.

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"What do want to be when you grow up?" I asked as we sat up in her bed looking out the window towards the silhouettes of the trees.

"In a family." I look over and she's playing with her notebook and crayon. I grab the notebook and put it under her pillow and grab her cheeks in between my hands. So that she hears me clearly.

"You will, lots of mommies and daddies are looking at us." For the past year families have come and gone looking at us kids. Casey and Devyn have had us spend play time with a few moms and dads when one of us sparked their interest. But every time the family backed away because they were looking for a younger child. A kid that was 6-7 wasn't what they were looking for anymore. It was hard when a family came to see us a few times and then just stopped coming. I always became upset after Casey told me the families weren't coming back. But I noticed that Paige always took it a harder when a family didn't come back. She always crawled into my bed and hugged me while she cried, and I sometimes cried with her. But I was glad that I wasn't getting adopted because that meant more time with Paige.

"What do you want to be?" She asks me while messing with my hair as we lay down in her bed.

"I want to do sports and stuff, like soccer or football." I jump up a bit and realize that Alex is still asleep in her bed and I clamp my hand over my mouth.

"Girls don't play football Emmy." She chuckles under the blanket.

"I do!" We laugh under the blanket and she holds me a bit closer. Soon her bright smile is gone and replaced with a frown as her icy cold fingers linger over the back of my hand making circles.

"We'll stay friends right Emmy? When we have new mommies and daddies?"

"Duh silly. You are my bestest friend Paige." Paige's smile is the last thing that I see as I drift off into sleep. Sleep that is light enough to hear the shallow breathing of the brown haired girl. I feel the shift of the mattress as her chest rises and falls with each breath.

I feel a hot breath on my cheek and when I shift I'm meant with warm soft skin touching my lips. I open my eyes and see that I'm kissing Paige on the lips. I slowly move away from her lips but I can't move too far since her arm is draped over my neck. I look at Paige's sleeping body and focus on the small smile plastered on her slightly parted lips. I move my eyes just slightly up to see her nostrils flare every once and while whenever she took in a breath. She seems happy, truly happy, because she isn't worrying about new parents or school or protecting me from bullies. I place my arm lazily over her waist laying my head back on the pillow resuming my position a few inches away from Paige's face. My eyes become heavy once again as the consistent rhythm of Paige's breathing lolls me back to sleep.

"Emmy wake up." I hear Paige's soft tiny voice whisper in my ear. I rub my eyes and lift my head up the pillow just a bit when the summer sun rays beam through the opening of the curtains. "Case is here." I crawl out of Paige's bed down to my own so I can change out of my pajamas. Paige and I walk to the bathroom together and brush our teeth. As she splashes water on me I spot her smile through her tooth brush making me focus on her lips. They were really soft.

"Hi Emmy! I was wondering if you wanted to take a walk with me to the park." The older blonde lady says her brown eyes are shiny and so is her smile as she speaks, she still has her tiresome look on her face.

"Can Paige come?" I ask happily grabbing a hold of Paige's hand which was still wet from the water. But I see the instant change in Casey as her shoulders slump just a bit. Her eyes shift over at Paige who is smiling at my request. She's sighs just a bit before kneeling down to me. "I have something to tell you."

"You can tell her too. Can she come?"

"Let me go ask your foster dad." Casey walks away and Paige and I go back to our rooms putting our shoes on and skipping to the front door where Casey is talking to our foster dad. We walk to the park hand in hand until Casey stops us and wants us to stop and sits at a bench. "You know how families been come to see you. Well some nice people want to take you home to live with them."

"I'm getting a family?!"

"Yes, you are."

"Paige I'm getting a mommy and daddy!" I turn to look at Paige looking down at the ground and running her fingers along the bench. She looks up finally and I feel my stomach drop when I see her eyes begin to water.

"Paige sweetie, are you okay?"

"I wanna go home." She hops off the bench and starts walking towards the sidewalk and Casey grabs my hand and runs over to Paige. Even though the park was across the street from our house Casey still ran for Paige so that she wouldn't cross the street by herself. As soon as we make it to the sidewalk and off the street, Paige lets go of Casey's hand and bolts for the door slamming it. I go to find her, but Casey stops me.

"I'll come for you in a few days okay. So say goodbye to everyone. Be happy Em, you're getting a family." The tears were quickly filling my eyes as a mix of emotions came over me. At first I was crying because of how Paige just ran away, but now it's because I'm going to have a family that I will no longer have to get bullied and yelled at by kids and my foster parents. Then it hit me, and I realized why Paige wanted to get away from me. I was leaving and she wasn't. I hug Casey tight before running into the house and into our room but she isn't there. I look for her all over the house but it isn't until I run into Alex sitting by the attic I realize where she is.

"Em why don't we go watch a movie or draw." She gets up from the step and starts taking me over to our room.

"I gotta talk to Paige." I try to stop moving and almost fall back because she stops tugging me and I was still pulling.

"She's sad right now. Just leave her alone for a bit." She kneels down in front of me so that I can see the seriousness of her eyes.

"But Alex-" I jump up looking at the attic and know that she's there. I just want to see her deep brown eyes and know that she is okay.

"Come on Emmy." I sit with the tall black haired girl on her bed as she reads to me but all I focus on is Paige's bed. And the sadness in her eyes when she found out about me leaving. How the night before we promised to stay friends even when one of us left. The clock soon turned 8 and I crawled into my bed waiting for Paige to come in the room but she never did. The days leading up to me leaving were very lonely. Paige wasn't with me when the older kids picked on me so I mostly cried in my room and read books.

The morning of August 21st came and I woke up eagerly to climb up on Paige's bed but she's nowhere to be found. I slump down the steps and flop on my bed for a little while longer before I have to start packing my things. I am leaving the home today to live with my new family; I wish I was happier about this but I can't with Paige being so mad at me. I walk around the house saying bye to all the kids and finally stop at the steps to the attic. Alex usually stays at the bottom step guarding it for Paige, but she wasn't here today. I make my way up the steps opening the door seeing Paige seeing on the floor by the window.

"Go away Alex." Paige says as she looks out the window still in her pajamas.

"I wanted to say Happy Birthday before I leave." I walk up slowly to her just waiting for her to start yelling at me or throwing things at me but she didn't, she simply turned to look at me.

"Some present you give me. I lose my best friend." She said coldly to me before turning back to look out the window.

"You was being mean to me. I thoughts you didn't want to be friends no more." I sit across from her and take her hand in mine.

"Imma miss you. I'm scared Emmy." She finally looks up at me and to reveal the redness in her eyes, and the water that has moistened her cheeks.

"Imma miss you too. Don't be scared." I hug her and she cries in me, making my eyes water and eventually crumble. "I don't want to leave you Paige. You're my best friend and you take care of me. You're not scared of anything P, I love you. Please don't be mad at me no more."

"You're my best friend too Emmy." She hugs me tighter as my face is buried into her chest now. Figures that it would turn back to her comforting me when she needed it more. "I love you too." Her soft voice whispers in my ear making me cry more, and realizing that her body was shaking too. I don't know how long we were in the attic crying into each other but we finally stopped when we heard footsteps come up and see Casey staring at us. We were now leaning against a few boxes that were stacked and I am basically laying on Paige with my head resting on her chest as I hugged her waist.

"We have to go..."

"I don't want to go, Casey."

"Emmy, go. You gets a new mommy and daddy. I be fine." She shows her signature smile but with tear streaked cheeks. Breaking my heart once again knowing that I wouldn't see that face in awhile. That I wouldn't feel her warm arms holding me when I cried, or feel her soft skin on mine as she held my hand on the bus. That I wouldn't have to hide my crayons and paper under my pillow from her anymore because she wouldn't be there. No more falling asleep to her breathing every night.

* * *

**Paige's POV**

I walk down the stairs holding hands with Emmy crying as we walk outside to Casey car. Emmy and I stand on the sidewalk, while Casey is putting her luggage in the trunk of the car. Casey looks at us both looking like she is going to cry too, and comes down to hug the both of us.

"You girls are something else, something special. I wish I didn't have to break you two apart." She looks at me cupping my face and wiping away the tears that haven't stopped coming for the last few hours. "You'll be okay Paige; Devyn will take care of you. Here I got you girls something." I feel Emmy's head rest on my shoulders as I sniffle and suck up my tears. I know that if I don't stop crying, Emmy will never leave to be with her new family. She needs this family, she can't be sad anymore. As much as I want to keep crying, I take everything in me to stop and just rest my head on Emmy's. Casey comes back from the car with two pictures handing us both one. Devyn had taken this picture the day school ended. Me and Em sitting on the grass with a notebook on my lap while Em had a soccer ball on hers. I remember Devyn came and saw us, and we asked her to take a picture of us. Em came from kicking the ball around and sat next to me with the soccer ball in one hand, and with the other she wrapped it around my waist. I did the same leaving my drawing to hold Emmy and smile up to the camera. We each look at the picture with both hands and smile at Casey, giving her another hug almost dropping her back.

"Go Em." We hug one last time, and I can't help the loose tears falling as I clench on to her shirt. I hear her muffled cries against my neck and my heart hurts as I feel her shaking. "Best friends forever okay?" I feel her nod against my neck, my lower lip trembles as I mumbled the words. Her hands are still tightly wrapped around my shoulders fearing of letting go. I had the same fear too, that's why my fingers twisted in the fabric of her shirt so that she wouldn't go. But when I feel the pressure around my shoulders lift, I know that she's ready. She had to let go first in order for me to withdraw from the hug. I had to be stronger for her, so she had to decide when she was ready to leave. Casey couldn't force her and neither could I, if she was going to leave the home it had to be under her own regard.

She pulls away, but her fingers ran down my arm and as she walked away my arm follows her until we were too far and the tips of our fingers were touching just for a second, then she got in the car. I walked up to the car, noticing that Alex is there with me now and we stare up at my best friend. I saw the warm deep brown eyes staring at with so much sadness. She places the palm of her hand on the car window, and I do the same trying to hold back tears so that she won't start crying again. I step away from the car and as the tires start moving forward, I take a step; following the speed of the car until it picks up more speed and I have to start running to keep up with it. Emmy has a sad smile on her face with tears falling and I do too, but the tears are flying back with the wind as I continue to run down the sidewalk alongside the car. That is until the sidewalk ends and the car turns left, then I have to stop. I fall to the ground, staring at the car in the distance for a few seconds before it eventually just disappears. Alex sits next to me as I crawl into her lap and start to cry. I guess I cried myself to sleep because I wake up in my room, but not in my bed, in Emmy's bed. I move just a bit and feel a piece of paper under me. I take out the picture in my pocket and try to take the creases out of the middle of the picture. But I still feel paper under me, and when I move spot Em's handwriting. A birthday card. It was a drawing of me and her playing in the snow.

_ Dear P, happiest birthday best friend.I knows you mad at me rights now but you are still my bestest friend. Thanks for helpsing me and calling Danny and Joey boogerheads. I be missing you._

_ -Emmy_

I tried to cry, but there was no more tears right now since I had been crying the last four days in the attic. Instead I just didn't feel anything. I went through my days playing by myself and reading Em's card, and looking at the picture every night. Even a month after Emmy left, I was still withdrawn from everyone even Alex. She tried to cheer me up but nothing really works, I just draw on my bed. I even got into a fight with the new girl that is sharing the bunk bed with me, Emmy's old bed.

"Paige I have to give you a new placement now. Your foster parents don't know what's wrong with you; your teachers don't even know what's wrong; so they can't help you because you won't talk." She sits me down in the booth at a diner we always go to when she visits me.

"I don't care about dem." I say with folded arms as I stare up at Devyn. I really could care less if others were trying to help me, because I didn't want it. All I wanted was my best friend, and I knew that wasn't going to happen.

"Look I know you miss Emmy, but this won't get her back." She reaches for my hand but I take it away from her.

"Don't talks about her."

"Paige, you don't speak to me li—" She lower her voice but her tone is very stern as she speaks to me.

"Can I talks to her please? I'm sorry I yells." I look down at my hands because I can't face the look that's awaiting me from Devyn.

"Paige you can't talk to her, I'm sorry." That's all that I ever got from Devyn when it came to Em. I would sometimes call Devyn when my foster parents would let me and I would cry over the phone begging for her to tell me anything. But all I got was that she was doing well. After that I kept to myself in the homes and at school, never really making friends with anyone because I would get another placement in a few months.

Kids liked to tease me for not talking at school, so I would push them and they stopped. There were a few people I was friendly with, but that is it. I've actually had a few flings, but like I said I always got another home too soon so nothing could really grow into anything. I guess it all could go back to Emmy, all my problems of why I can't really get close to anyone. I just never got over the loss of my best friend properly

* * *

I** know it was a bit sad guys but next chapter will be happier I promise. Em and Paige will talk.**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Guys its's Wednesday SO it's time for another update. Sorry for not updating Last week, it wasn't my best week so instead of giving you a crap chapter I decided to wait. So I start my last year at university in the morning(right now it's 11:36pm tuesday). Because of this, updates for this story will no longer be weekly. But I will try my best to update at least twice a month, if not more.**

**So enjoy this chapter that's a bit longer than usual. PLEASE excuse my mistakes in this chapter, I'm really tired right now, I'll fix it later.**

**Thank you for everyone that is reading the story and reviewing or following or both. I appreciate it and it just makes me want to write more. Especially last chapter I loved hearing what you guys thought about their past. Sorry if anyone was talking like a five year old last chapter, but come on they're adorable I have to. So please tell me what I'm doing right or wrong.**

**To the Guest that said more interactions with the other liars. It's coming! I just had to get their back story out there but there will be way more interactions with the other three liars after this chapter.**

**Oh and last thing. You guys should check out a story called Reminiscence by ScriptedLullabies. I love the story and i think you guys will too!**

**Enough rambling from me. Enjoy Chapter 6!**

* * *

**Chapter 6**

**Emily's POV**

I kneel down picking up the damn picture that caused all of this to unravel. I knew I should have just told her. I was stupid to think that we could be like how we were when we were younger. I stand up looking at the girl that I walked away from walking away from me now. "Paige!" I yell one last time even though I know that she won't turn around.

"What's going on here?" I jump dropping all my things on the steps of the school.

"Aria?" I look at the small brunette with wide eyes looking between me and Paige walking off in the distance.

"I thought you and Paige were doing Spanish homework." She switches her purse from one arm to the other and reaches to help me pick up my things.

"Um yeah we were but she left her Spanish stuff at the house so she just decided to head home." I say avoiding eye contact with her just trying to pick up everything quickly to try and follow her. Then Aria picks up my history book and under it, is the picture of Paige and me. I quickly take it and the rest of my things from Aria's arms stuffing it in my backpack.

"What was that?" I walk towards the school, giving up trying to talk to her for now, because of Aria's nosiness. "That's Paige's picture. Why do you have that?" I keep walking away from her and head towards my locker but she doesn't give up because I can hear her heels hastily behind me.

"It's nothing. Paige just dropped her picture when she was leaving that's why I was calling her name."

"Right. Well I can give it to her, you know 'cause I live with her." She reaches for it in my hands and I just slightly shift away from her.

"It's fine, I'll give it to her when I see her again." I place the picture in one of my notebooks putting it in my bag before I grab three more books from my locker. I never thought I would be such a liar when I was younger, I always told the truth. But when I got adopted that's when the lies started, all starting with me being adopted, it was quite exhausting to try to keep anything from slipping.

"Okay. Well now that you don't have to study with Paige, I was going to get some coffee want to come?" I'm glad that Aria dropped the subject but I really wanted to go find Paige and try to talk to her about this. But Aria was already asking things, so I agree so it would raise any suspicion.

* * *

"Em are you okay?" Spencer's voice breaks through my train of thought. I blink my eyes a few times and take in that we are in the car. I look out the window and see the city limits sign signaling that we are just outside of Philly. I hadn't even noticed when I got into the car or when we even left the Brew to head over here.

"Yeah Spence why?" I look at the blurred street lights zooming past us and it calmed me a bit. My parents used to always take me on road trips; at night I would look out the window to stop myself from thinking about the girl. It was crazy how much I thought about her over the last 10 years and I hadn't realized it until she was right in front of me again.

"You've just been very closed off today. At the Brew you were very isolated from the conversation, like you didn't want to be there. I talked to Aria before we left and she said you were like that before I met up with you guys. She mention something about you and Paig-"

"Please don't talk about her right now. I just have lot on my mind with school, basketball and applications." I mess with the red scarf around my neck, tracing the pattern and smiling at the memory of when I got it. I wasn't lying though; I did have all those things to worry about. With the money that my dad makes and even the money that I saved up, I wouldn't be able to afford college. I needed my senior year to be perfect, grade-wise and basketball-wise, so I could get a scholarship.

"We can reschedule this date if you want. We can just go shopping , like Hanna says, 'Retail therapy is the only kind of therapy.' Totally not true but it could work." She shows me a big smile that only makes me laugh and roll my eyes shaking my head.

"No. It's fine. Besides when will we able to even see them at the same time again?" She parks in the parking garage next to the restaurant and we get out walking to the front of the restaurant.

"Point taken." We smile at each other but somehow my heart just isn't in it right now. I'm too caught up in everything with Paige. I meant to tell her who I was, but I was just scared. Suddenly I feel arms snaked around my waist and soft lips pressed to my exposed neck.

"Hey I missed you." The soft husky voice whispers in my ear. Immediately I smile and turn greeting the mouth that the voice belongs to.

"I missed you too. How's school going babe?" I'm consumed with the hazel eyes and the bright smile, that I forget why I wasn't excited for the date just seconds before.

"Eh it's just a bunch of stuff I already know. Toby over here likes to sleep in and leave me alone in classes." We sit at a booth by the bar and the place is full, but then again it was a Friday night. We had been coming to this place for a few years now, every time the girls and I were in Philly this Bar & Grille was one of the must go to places. It reminded me a bit of Sam's but this place has a much younger crowd with the University being nearby.

"Hey, I make it to the afternoon ones. It's Spencer's fault, I used to be a morning person then I met her and you introduced me to coffee by the gallon" I hug Toby before he sits down next to Spencer and I take my place next to Cam.

"Don't go blaming me for you bailing on Cam." Spencer says defensively. Just as happy I was to see Cam, again my mind wandered just as quickly, to the brown haired girl.

"You're the reason I'm broke Spence. Shit. Having to buy coffee for his butt everyday isn't cheap so thanks." They all laugh and it's like an echo ringing in my head as I think of Paige's face when she called me Emmy after 10 years. I missed hearing her call me that. It felt like we were 5 again and everything was fine but then the realization of the hurt in her eyes brought me back 10 years. 10 years without each other. "Em are you okay?" Cam whispers in my ear and I shake off thoughts about Paige quickly before looking to my girlfriend to see her beautiful smile. "You're not thinking of another girl are you?" She chuckles and she lifts my chin up to kiss her lips lightly not having to worry about anyone from Rosewood seeing us show affection here.

"Actually I was but she's just an old friend." I smile into the kiss but I see a hint of jealously flicker through her golden hazel eyes before being met with her lips.

"Should I be worried?" Her eyebrow rises and the smirk on her pink lips fades when I pull away and avoid eye contact with her.

"No I just upset her and I feel bad." I see her let out a visible sigh of relief and I place my hand on her cheek bringing her closer to me. "You are the only one I love Camila Alexis J-"

"Ugh I hate it when people use my full name babe!" She buries her face into my chest and I let out a laugh as I push her face up and witness the pout on her perfect lips.

"Well I'm not just people Camila. Unless you want to be just fr-" She snakes her arms around my back and pushes my body closer to hers as her lips meet mine. I smile when I feel one of her hands come up to my face to cup my cheek as the kiss dies out into small pecks.

"You can call me whatever you want Em." I lean my head on her shoulder with a satisfied smile on my face as my girlfriends soft fingers linger over my shoulders making me shudder.

"That's what I thought but its okay I'll call you Cam." She keeps on arm around my waist as the waitress comes over to take our order and making light conservation with our friends across from us.

"That's why I love you babe. So what did you do to piss this friend off?" She takes a sip of the water they gave us when we first sat down and she lets me lean on her. The music is blasting and more people start to fill out the bar but all I think about is Camila's caramel colored fingers twirling strands of my hair.

"I kept something from her, like something big and she found out; probably hates me." I play with the necklace that Sam gave me, running my fingers over the engraving on the bottom of the locket. I let out a heavy sigh thinking about how I screwed up with someone who was so important to me at one time.

"Em no one could ever hate you, you are perfect. Just talk to her I'm sure you guys can talk it through. You still want to be friends with her right?" I nod my head against her chest. "Then just call her. You guys will be fine." She kisses the top of my forehead, I missed her holding me like this. I hated that she was two years older than me, and when we got together she had already left Rosewood. She had been my team-mate for two years and I hadn't allowed myself to think of her as anything other than a friend until it was too late.

"I can't. She doesn't have a phone." I sit up as the waitress comes back with our food, giving Cam and I a smile before heading back to get Spencer and Toby's food.

"Who doesn't have a phone nowadays?" She says while digging into her salad and giving me a 'what the hell' look. I shake my head slightly out of annoyance for how she takes things for granted sometimes. I nudge her shoulder as I look at Spencer and Toby who don't have their food yet and she takes the hint putting her fork down and waiting for their food to come. Sometimes it was hard to excuse her lack of manners but I shoot Spencer an apologetic look. She gives me a reassuring nod and a small wave as if to forget it.

"She doesn't. I think I'll just stop by her house in the morning." The waitress returns with their food and we all start eating, carrying on conversations with our other halves. I know this was supposed to be a double date but Spencer and Toby didn't talk very much to us and neither did Camila or I. Toby was talking to Spencer about how he was enjoying his engineering classes when I found my mind wandering off to Paige and just how much I wish I was with her instead of here. It felt wrong to be happy when she was obviously hurt.

"Bring breakfast or something. That way she'll be less mad. Wait is this Paige? The friend you were telling me about that plays ball with you?" Camila's lips graze my cheek bringing me back to the conversation.

"Yeah why?" I give her a peck on her lips before putting a forkful of pasta in my mouth.

"You said she was an old friend but I remember you first told me about her like a month ago. How could she be an old friend?" Her eyebrow arches as her takes some of my pasta and pops it into her mouth waiting for me to answer

"I said that? I didn't mean to." I quickly shift in my seat running my hands through my hair, a nervous habit I picked up from spending too much time with my dad when I was younger.

"Uh okay. So I hate to ask but have you told your dad yet?" She picks at her food and I can see that now she's nervous, something I had never seen. She was always so confident in herself and I envied that in her, she was fearless.

"No I haven't, I just can't right now. You should see him Cam, he's miserable."

"Yeah, well he's kind of been like that for two years. I don't think you can use that as an excuse anymore. I love you Emily but I actually want to hold your hand and kiss you whenever I'm back home. I hate that you avoid me like the plague whenever I'm back." I hurt and see the hurt in her eyes and again I've never seen her so vulnerable. It broke my heart to know that I hurt her but it seemed like that's just what I did to people, hurt them. I place my hand over hers and massage circles on the back of her hand with my thumb.

"I know I need to tell my dad and everyone else but it's hard okay. Please Cam don't talk about this right now, I had a shitty day." I rest my head on her shoulders but I notice that she huffs out a big sigh.

"Of course you have an excuse to avoid this conversation." I try to kiss her but it quickly turns when she steps out of the booth in a rage and I look at Spencer and Toby who just raise their eyebrows. I follow her to the bar where she hands the bartender her fake I.D. while he serves her a shot.

"Cam. Just give me some time please." I reach out for her hand but she pulls away bumping into a few people who are crowding around the bar. I see the look on her face as she asks the bartender for another shot. She throws back the shot and sighs before looking at me with even more sadness in her eyes.

"Emily it's been a year. I've waited for a year. I'm proud to say I have an amazing girlfriend that I love, to my friends at school. But the only people who know we are dating or actually know you're dating someone are the girls and Toby. Are you embarrassed of me or something?" Her words hurt me as much as they hurt her to say them. I love Camila and the way she was so patient with me even though I didn't deserve it. But I guess only a person can take so much before they lose hope.

"That's not it Cam and you know it. I'm just scared of what my dad will say, he just expects a lot of me and -" I sit at the bar with her with our elbows leaning against the bar and barely touching. I turn my head as she cuts me off and feel that my eyes are beginning to water, at the fact that the only good thing in my life may be slipping from my fingers.

"And being gay isn't one of them?" The sadness in her eyes was indescribable when she finished the question finally looking at me.

"Cam-" I reach out to rest my hands on her forearm and she runs her thumb over my knuckles. Sometimes that had always given me butterflies and made me feel safe but today it made me feel more tense than I was before.

"So you guys ready for the movie?" Spencer's voice breaks our intense stare when I look away first, blinking back the tears.

"Yeah." I look at my friend and give her a tight smile and she returns the smile, not even thinking twice before turning back to walk back to Toby. I grab Camila's hand and look at her perfect hazel eyes wishing away the uncertainty. I bring my lips to hers in a quick but passionate kiss. Her tongue grazes mine during the short liplock wishing that we were alone so that we could just forget about this conversation. My hands find her cheeks as I pull away to rest our foreheads against each other. "We'll talk about this later." I whisper to her and she nods in defeat grabbing my hand and walking out of the restaurant.

* * *

I wake up and I'm Spencer's barn again this time in no rush. But when I look at the time something in me jumps. It's 6:30. It's a Saturday and I'm up this early. Great. Last night was a long night, Camila barely talked to me or showed any affection towards me during and after the movies. When Spencer and I were leaving to head back to Rosewood that's when she finally acknowledged me again. Kissing me and telling me she was sorry for the night.

The next time I would see her was probably Thanksgiving. I missed not having her around anymore, even though we didn't show affection in Rosewood, it was still nice to see her face around town and hear her laugh whenever she came back home.

The events of yesterday run through my head and how everything that could have gone wrong did. I truly had a shitty day. I reach for my glasses on Spencer's nightstand before turning to see if Spencer's up but she's asleep blissfully next to me with a smile on her face.

I sit at the breakfast bar waiting for the coffee to finish making when I think about last night's conversation with Cam about Paige. I look at the time and quickly make two cups of coffee and slip on some shoes and Camila's Penn State sweater before heading outside. I walk down two houses and cross the street standing in front of Arias house. I walk up the gravel driveway and the nerves build up in me with every step closer I get to the porch. I sit on the porch swing placing her coffee on the table and taking small sips of my coffee trying to drown the nerves. I look at the time and it reads 7 o'clock and like clockwork Paige comes out of the house. She's wearing dark jeans with rips on the knees, a white t-shirt and a bomber jacket that she wears almost everyday. She's singing softly as she locks the door. I stay quiet not trying to startle her but when she turns to leave the porch I call her name. She jumps turning to see me and stumbles on the steps holding on to the railing to keep her from falling to the ground.

"Emily? What the hell? Why are you here, it's 7 in the morning?"

"I didn't mean to scare you. You always run at 7 on the weekends. I remember you told me that. But you don't look like you're going to run..." I look at her outfit once more but I think my eyes linger more over her body then I intended. Her sudden movement up the steps makes my eyes snap up to her face.

"No run today, I was going to get some breakfast for everyone. Is that coffee? You brought coffee? How long have you been out here?" She points to the cups on the small table next to me and I smile when I see her eyes go wide at the sight of the coffee. The corners of her lips turn ever so slightly and if I would have blinked I would have missed it because her face returns to the distant look she had yesterday.

"Just a few minutes. Yeah it is, I thought we could maybe talk for a bit." I stand up and walk towards her and I expect her to move away from me but she doesn't, instead she shifts her weight of between her feet.

"Um I really don't think we should-" Her eyes are looking at the ground while her hands are shoved in her front pockets, some thing's never change. I remember on the first day that we met and she was showing me the room her hands her shoved in the pockets of her jacket, but other times they were shoved into jean pockets. The whole time she was giving me a tour of the house they were in her jacket pocket and her eyes were down. I hadn't actually seen her eyes until I thanked her and she finally looked up for the first time.

"Please just give me 10 minutes." I walk closer and like before she looks up at me and I see the eyes I once knew so well. The eyes that I swore I would never forget but somehow I did. I forgot how her looks made me feel at ease, like all my worries were taken away by a single glance.

"Fine. But not here" She walks up and grabs one of the coffee cups and starts down the steps walking along the street waiting for me to catch up. We walk to the entrance of the woods and I follow her throughout the dirt path until we find a few boulders that we could sit on. She climbed on top of one and a few feet away I did the same. We sit staring down at our coffees as the morning September breeze sweeps over us.

"Thanks." I look at her from what seems like across the woods. Her brown eyes are peering through her bangs nervously before running her fingers over the lid of the coffee cup.

"For?" I finally ask when I realize I haven't responded to her, I take a sip of my coffee before repositioning myself on top of the cold hard boulder. We stare at each other before any of us say anything and it wasn't awkward or discomforting but as if we were both studying each other.

"Um the coffee. It's pretty good." She points at the coffee averting her eyes once again.

"Well it did come from the house of Hastings." I say halfheartedly and laugh and notice a small frown form on Paige's lips.

"Oh how did your double date go?" She plays with her fingers I can sense the coldness in her voice, maybe I should just get to the point of this whole conversation. Otherwise she could get annoyed and just leave without hearing what I have to say.

"Terrible. We fought so it ended badly but it's my fault I was already in a bad mood." I bury my face in my hands and shake my head remembering everything about last night.

"I'm sorry." I hear a hint of relief in her voice as she apologizes that makes me wonder. I get off the boulder and kneel on the patch of grass that's right in front of Paige and her eyes connect with mine regretfully, I see the shot of pain in her chocolate brown eyes. Usually whenever I saw her at school her eyes were a lighter brown but as I study them more I see that they are dark brown and her eyes look almost bloodshot. As if she had been crying for quite some time. I rest my hand on her knee and it's like a jolt of electricity circuited through the both of us because at the moment of the touch we both jumped a bit at the feeling.

"Paige, I'm sorry for keeping it a secret from you. I didn't want you to find out that way." I move my thumb across her knee staring up at her.

"You know I'm pretty smart but I feel stupid for being the last to know about this. I knew you looked familiar though I just couldn't figure it out." She smiles at first but it quickly change and I wanted to get up to hug her right then and there. I didn't want her to feel stupid, that was never my intention.

"Wait what do you mean last to know?" I perk up a bit as I ask the question, and I know that this conversation isn't about who knows about me being adopted but it still worries me. She shifts a bit and finally breaks our stare for the first time in 10 minutes.

"It doesn't matter. Why did you hide it though?" She tells me but she decides to not look at me anymore, instead she stares out into the woods. Her cream colored complexion looks incredible against the dark colors of the woods. I never really realized how much she hasn't really changed. Personality-wise like, staring off into nowhere while she thought, and appearance-wise. Her face wasn't really all that different, she lost the baby weight she had, I remember a few kids calling her chipmunk at school because of her chubby cheeks. Of course she grew like two feet since I had last seen her but hair was also longer, it was always at shoulder length when we were kids.

"I was scared. I thought you would react, well the way you kind of reacted yesterday. Pissed off at me. We were becoming friends again and I liked that." I say as I sit back on my boulder and play with the laces of my shoe, in fear of seeing more hurt in her eyes.

"I'm sorry about what I said yesterday. The profanities were unnecessary I was just...pissed." I look up at her and now her knees are brought up to her chest with her arms holding them close to her body. She was also resting her forehead on her knees and when she spoke it was a muffled sound but I still understood what she was saying.

"I get it, I lied. You had every reason to be mad." I keep staring at her in hopes of catching a glimpse of her brown eyes to see how she was feeling. Finally after a few minutes of silence her head lifts up from her knees. She still isn't looking at me, but playing with the rips of her jeans

"I missed you Em.. After you left the home, I just was never the same." I smile at her and fight back the urge to hug her, also I know that if I would have hugged her the tears that I was holding back would have broken through the surface. But then her last sentence sinks in and I can't help but feel responsible for her change.

"I missed you too P, you should have seen me on all my gotcha days. I always wished for you." I say happily hoping that her eyes will meet mine again and they do, but they look at me with a sense of confusion.

"Wait what is a Gotcha day?" Her eyebrow raises and I smile to myself, thinking about how I asked my mom the same thing when they first took me home.

_Even though I was crying the whole way over to my new family's house, I was excited to see where my parents were living. I already knew the parents because they had come to visit me and play with me for a month before they wanted to adopt me. Casey grabs my luggage's as I step out taking in the new town. It was nice and quiet all the houses were big and colorful. Casey points to the pale yellow house that will be my house from now on. She walks with me up the steps of the porch and before we reach the door, it flies open and my new mom is waiting there for me. It takes me a minute before I realize she's excited to see me and when it hits me, tears start to welled up in my eyes again. My new dad comes in and picks me up bringing me into a hug with him and my new mom._

_ I look behind them and see a banner hanging on the banister saying Happy 'Gotcha Day'. I look at both of my new parents and even look at Casey. "What's that?" I ask pointing to the banner and that's when my new mommy smiled and grabbed me walking up the stairs explaining to me what today was._

"My mom made it up, the day that they officially adopted me and I moved in with them. That day is my 'Gotcha day', because it's the day they got me. It's kind of like a birthday." I remember my mom's face perfectly that day. She always made 'Gotcha Day' special.

"So your 'Gotcha day' is...August 21st? My birthday?" Her eyes are averted again as she asked the question nervously.

"Yeah...I'm sorry I shouldn't have brought it up." I actually slap my forehead because of my stupidity. I hear her chuckle and she dips her head. She smiles at me and I can't help but smile at her except I smile at the ground.

"Take it easy Emm-ily." My eyes snap up to her as the blush on her cheek appears. I smile even bigger when I realize what she was going to say. My heart flutter at my childhood name. None of my friends from Rosewood ever called me that, when I came here I started going by real name because every time I was called Emmy it just reminded me of Paige.

"It's okay to call me Emmy if you want. Only my dad calls me it now but you can too. It would be nice to hear you say it." I say shyly.

"I'll keep that in mind." She bites her lip before circling the opening of the lid and lifting the coffee cup to her pink lips. "You know you really hurt me...I know it's been ten years but it's still fresh to me. I know it wasn't your fault that you left but you did." My heart falls into my stomach when her words sink in. She kept a hold of that hurt for so long and I can't really blame her. I actually hated myself for not trying harder to keep in contact with her but I guess what's done is done.

"Paige, I fought to see you again. I wanted my parents to drive me to Ravenswood, so they could see you were great too. Finally my parents drove me to the home but when I went I saw Alex and she said you left. That you got a new placement."

"What? You did?" Her voice was laced with surprise, as she perks up on the boulder.

"Yeah, I did. Like I said I never stopped wondering about you. So besides you being a genius, speaking fluent Spanish and an awesome basketball player. What have I missed?" I smile feeling myself grow a bit more comfortable with Paige, almost like it was second nature. She smiles and gets up sitting down on a boulder closer to me.

"Well I've move about three times a year for the last 10 years, but Devyn always kept me around Pennsylvania though. But that's pretty much it, besides all the things you mentioned. Which I have to disagree with." I finally look up to see the smile I remembered being so comforting when I was 5. Still is, because I feel myself getting less anxious by the second. I have so many questions but I didn't want to overwhelm her. "What about you?"

"I thought you knew all about me remember?" I say teasingly watching her take a sip of her coffee and her cheeks turning a darker shade of pink.

"I apologized for that. I actually know nothing about you, besides the obvious. Like whatever happened to your Nana? Do you still visit her?" My smile quickly fades as I think back to my grandma and her funeral. She died years after I was adopted, her Alzheimer's got the better of her. That's why she couldn't take care of me anymore. She was always forgetting things and once even forgot me at the park, our neighbor saw me looking frantic and called Child Protective Services after she took me home. Casey came the next day and a week later I was put into the foster system.

* * *

**Paige's POV**

"She died a few years ago, I think it's going to be three years in two weeks. But I did get to visit her a lot, once every two weeks until she died. I never missed a visit." Shit. My eyes snap up at the brown eyes that I remember staring into when we would sleep together.

Even from a young age I knew that people's eyes gave away their emotions. As corny as it sounds, the eyes really are the window to your soul. They showed the raw emotion that people tried to hide with hair, makeup, or glasses. I memorized her facial expressions when we were younger and I didn't think it would come back to me so fast when I saw the hurt in her eyes. This was the expression I grew so used to when we were growing up. She was never really happy or smiling when we weren't together, that's one thing that's changed for her though. I always seemed to see her with a smile whenever I saw her at school, I rarely saw this look anymore. I've noticed over the last few weeks that her smile was quite beautiful. And when she frowned the only thing I could think about was what I could do to see her smile again.

Now that I think about it, I guess in the back of my mind I always knew Emily was Emmy. Because the only person that I've ever cared enough to make them smile was Emmy and Emily. Well I guess they are the same person. Maybe I just didn't want to admit it to myself, to admit that things in life could work out. I've never asked for much in my life, but it's an amazing feeling to know that the one thing you have asked for was given to you. Devyn was right this was my second chance to get my friend back, and to keep her.

I get off the boulder and wrap my arms around her. The tears weren't visible but her glasses had fogged up so it was a matter of time before they started to show. Her hands went from gripping her knees to gripping my back feeling her glasses pressed up against my collarbone. I smell the scent of vanilla when I lower my head into her hair taking everything.

I get thrown back to the day where she left and she was crying her eyes out as she rested herself on me. Only this time her tears weren't for me but for someone else she lost, her grandma. The one family member that stepped up and took care of her when her mom got thrown in jail.  
I let her cry knowing that it's my fault for bringing it up in the first place. Note to self don't bring up her mom or nana until all the emotions of this reunion settle down.

"Em I'm really sorry. Maybe we've talked enough for today. There are a lot of emotions."

"We're friends then right?" Her tan cheeks are red and puffy along with her eyes.

"Weren't we already friends?" I chuckle and a blush appears on the tan girls face along with her amazing smile. Somehow something in my stomach always turned to knots whenever I'm the cause of her smile. Did her smile always do this? Like when we were kids? I can't exactly remember if her smile always had that effect on me but I like to think that it always has, that's the safer answer. I help her off the boulder and we begin to walk back to our street in a comfortable silence. Well it was, until I heard the familiar voice that belong to the bubbly blonde that belong to Emily's group.

"Hey Em! And um it's Paige right?" She asks while running her fingers through her bright golden blonde hair. You couldn't help but notice Hanna and her blonde locks, especially when always surrounded by brunettes, she stuck out like a sore thumb. But one thing I'll give Hanna is that even though she looked different from the rest of the Rosewood student body she owned it. She had loads of confidence strutting down the hallways like it was the catwalk.

"Um yeah, Paige McCullers. Nice to formally meet you" I raise my hand to her and she looks between Emily and I. Out of the corner my eye I see Emily shaking her head slightly with a smile.

"You're cute. I like your friend Em." Hanna smiles at me and leans into me for a hug and I stand there petrified as the blonde squeezes the air out of my lungs. "I do hugs not handshakes." She says right in my ear and her grips on my back starts to loosen a bit, then I hear Emily laughing and telling Hanna to let go of me.

"Yeah I think my neck got that." I rub the back of my neck as the two girls laugh and with hearing her laughter I feel content and forget about the pain her friend caused me.

"Hanna why are you up so early?"

"Ugh my mom is making me volunteer to set up for the church booth at the Lost Boy festival thing"

"The Founding Father's festival?" Emily and I say in unison making Hanna just roll her eyes at us, as if to say whatever.

"Hey, you guys should come with me! I'll buy you guys coffee! Please!" She pleads and it's not like I have anything else to do, and I'm sure that it would be great on a college application. Emily looks at me with a confused expression and I just shrug digging my hands into the pockets of my jeans. The next thing I hear is a squeal coming from the blonde and again my lungs are begging for air. But then I realize why I stopped breathing, it was because of Emily's face being so close to mine. Our cheeks are touching as Hanna hugs the both of us and pulls us in the direction of town.

"So how has my best friend been treating you?" We sit down at a table outside and Emily goes into the Brew with Hanna's money in hand.

"Excuse me?" My attention is taken away from Emily as I turn to Hanna wondering what she's talking about.

"Emily. You guys spend a lot of time together with studying and basketball. I hardly see her." She says as she looks at her phone but then turns to me pouting and I think that it's supposed to make me feel sympathetic for her. But honestly before I knew who Emily was I enjoyed hanging out with her alone, without her friends. She was actually the only friend I had made at school besides my foster family.

"Oh um, yeah she's cool. It's nice to get to know her again." I say with a smile as we sit and wait for Emily to return with our coffee order.

"Again? What does that mean?" Her eyes connect with mine and I see confusion being held behind the icy blue eyes and the smile I had on my face quickly disappears.

"What does what mean?" Emily comes out with the coffees handing each of us our order. The brilliant smile on her face quickly falters when she sees how Hanna's eyes are glued to me.

"Paige was just telling me how you guys knew each other before." Again not looking up at Emily but staring at me waiting for me to answer. I look between Emily and Hanna and when I'm about to answer Hanna, Emily cuts me off

"What!? I didn't know Paige before." She says nervously and I just raise my eyebrow. Was I missing something here?

"But she just said th-" Hanna said pointing at me and finally looking away from me and up at Emily who is standing over us as we sit.

"I'm sorry Hanna but I forgot that Mrs. Montgomery asked me to help her clean out the garage. I'll pay you back for the coffee, I'll see you in class." I stare at Emily for a split second before I break eye contact with her and turn heading back down the street to head home. We just had a heart to heart and now she wants to forget that we knew each other?

"Paige!" I hear her walking up to me but I keep walking and don't stop because I know I'll yell at her like I did yesterday. Finally I hear her footsteps stop and just when I think she turned around, I hear her voice. "They don't know I'm adopted." The last part was a whisper and if I was probably a few more feet away I wouldn't have heard her. I stop walking and slowing turn to her and she closes the distance looking around to make sure no one is listening.

"They don't know? How?"

"We moved to Rosewood together so everyone didn't think anything of it. I mean I guess I looked like my parents, but no one in town knows I'm adopted. They think that Casey is my aunt from out of town, well they used to when she did her random check-ups. I didn't mean to hurt your feelings back there but they can't know." She crosses her arms over her chest hugging herself protectively and I lean in to give her a quick hug. When I pull away she brings me back in and I can feel her tears brush against my cheek as she brings me back into an embrace.

"It's fine. I just assumed they knew. Sorry for almost blowing your cover then." I whisper in her ear and she gives me one small squeeze before letting go.

"It's okay how could you have known." She shrugs her shoulders and giving me a shy smile with her dimples embedded into her perfectly tanned skin. "How about we go help Hanna with her punishment for the 'Lost Boys' festival." She holds her hand out and I gladly take it as she brings me back to The Brew where Hanna is waiting for us while texting on her phone.

We walk over to the town square where the cold breeze has calmed down but the temperature was still low 60 degrees (Fahrenheit). I help set up the tent with a few of the boys from the church and I admit I feel a bit weird helping out a church. Not that I'm super anti-religious or anything but I've just had a bad experience with the church at one of my schools after someone found out I was gay. But only three people in town knew about my sexual orientation, Liv, Taylor and the other girl in Liv's group. Emily and Hanna ended up setting up some tables over by the actually church. In between each tent that we set up they would give us a few minutes to rest and catch our breath. So I would sit on the grass and look over at Emily. I can't help but think about how before I knew who she was, I was attracted to her. They way that she moved doing anything was so beautiful and she was just beautiful all around. But now that I know she's my Emmy, I can't help but feel guilty every time I see her in that way. Even right now I take in everything that is Emily. She took her Penn State sweater off and is now in just a plain white shirt that looks amazing against her tan skin. Every time she picks things up and carries them I can she her perfectly toned arms. I bite my lip as my thoughts get the better of me that I don't notice when someone is calling me.

"Paige?" I turn around and I'm met the green eyes of one of my tormentors, Taylor. Even though she hasn't actually done anything to me, besides on the first day when she shoved past me, still I jump back a bit. Her eyes look a bit hurt as I move away from her but she still sits down next to me crossing her legs as she picks strands of grass out.

"Woah you actually know my name. So can I help you with something? Or do you need to wait for your master to come and order you around?" I say harshly as I begin to push myself up and walk over to the other tent laying on the floor to get started with it before the boys came by to help.

"I just wanted to apologize for yesterday. I hope that you're okay." Her voice was very low as she comes up beside me to help me with the tent.

"You shouldn't be the one to apologize. You weren't the one who did it."

"I know but still she was just being a bitch to you." She looks down after planting the leg of the tent to the ground.

"Why do you even care?" I drop my end of the tent and walk over to her in a rage. I was fed up with being messed with. "I'm not the only person who you and your friend have messed with and I don't see you apologizing to them. So enlighten me as to why you care about your victims now?" She steps back stumbling over a fold out chair that was laying on the ground.

"Because you don't deserve it but I'm too scared of Liv to say anything. And I do apologize to other people for Liv, just so you know." She gets up and dusts herself off before walking over to me again. "So I'm sorry." She walks away and I'm left feeling like I was the bully this time. She was scared and I just kept pushing it. Damn it.

"Taylor!" She's almost at the end of the town square when she turns around whipping her light brown curly hair over her face and it catches me off guard. I take a few seconds to re-collect myself and remember why I followed her. Then I suddenly see a glimpse of a tear rolling down her left cheek. I reach my hand over without thinking and with my thumb I wipe the tear away, feeling terrible that I made someone cry just because I'm defensive. "I'm sorry that I snapped at you. Thanks for the apology,it's just something new for bullies to apologize." I move my hand away and I put my hands in my pocket looking at my shoes. I instantly regretted touching Taylor because I thought that she was going to be freaked out. But her soft voice makes me feel more comfortable.

"I'm not a bully. My cousin is." My eyes snap up and just when I'm about to ask more question I hear Emily call out from behind me. "I have to go." She walks away quickly as Emily comes closer and before I know it Taylor is out of sight and I can see the clenched fists and jaw coming from Emily.

"What the hell was she doing here?" I turn back to the direction that Taylor was going and look for the green eyed girl.


	7. Chapter 7

**_A/N: Sorry for taking a bit to update. Again I have school so that takes away from my writing time. _**

**_Thank you to everyone who reads, follows, favorite and reviews. I appreciate everyone single one of you so thank you. Please Review and let me know how I'm doing, i love to hear what you guys think will become of the story and even suggest ideas or scene so thank you again!_**

**_Sorry if there are mistakes I'm super tired and will reedit tomorrow _**

**_Well without anymore Rambling heres the next chapter. You guys are lucky I love you guys... and thank the people of tumblr for telling me to post today._**

* * *

Chapter 7

**Paige's POV **

After spending almost the entire Saturday with Emily and Hanna, I felt a bit more comfortable around Emily's and Aria's friend. Now the real test was with Spencer Hastings, the girl who has been glaring at me whenever she has the chance. Luckily, I get to spare myself of any interaction with Spencer until Monday. Hanna made me promise that I would join them for lunch after the weekend was over. She said it was a 'must', why? I don't know. I thought that I was boring her because whenever I spoke her eyes kind of just glazed over. But all in all, my morning took an unexpected turn, from waking up after crying all night to actually having a good time. The only thing that I regret though was not going after Taylor. I felt bad that she left so abruptly, because of the fury she saw in Emily but to be honest it felt nice to have Emily being protective. Oh how the tables have turned.

"Hey we missed you this morning." Ella says as I fall to my bed kicking off my shoes and tucking them under my bed. I see that she's leaning against the door frame but her smile was absent today. The smile on my face quickly turned when I realized that Ella wasn't happy.

"I'm sorry. I told Emily to text Aria telling you guys where I was, I guess it di-" Ella raises her hand telling me to stop talking and my mouth snaps shut. Damnit I tried so hard to be good with this family, and for once in my life I had forgotten that I was a foster kid. That my placement wasn't permanent, that the Montgomery's were not my real family and that I still had restrictions.

"Aria had told me about it when she woke up, but I had already been up looking for you."

"I know I should have left a note or something when I left the house, but I didn't think I was going to be gone for that long. I'm sorry Mrs. Montgomery."

"Paige you can go out and do things, but we have to know where you are." She steps closer to me, joining me on the bed but my eyes quickly fall to thee wooden floor.

"Yeah I know the drill."

"Paige this isn't because you're a foster child, this rule is for all of my kids, Aria and Mike have the same rules." I feel her cold hand gently rest on top of mine and it makes me feel warm inside to know that she isn't like my other foster moms, she was far from those women. But again realization set in that she was just that, a Foster mom, she was not my real mother and this was not my home.

"I know. I guess I just got too comfortable." I say coldly getting up from my bed and over to my closet. I walk right passed the hurt look on her face, and went into the bathroom to take a shower. I know I was rude to Ella and seeing her face fall when I made that comment was excruciating. But it was one of my defenses, to push people away when they got too close. I know that Aria and Mike have the same rules as Ruben and I, they're rules are actually stricter than ours. I turn on the water for the shower and before I can strip down I slide down the wall closest to the shower and bury my face in my hands.

Why did I care so much if I upset this family? Why have I gone soft with this family? I haven't got attached to a home since I was 5, this is going against every rule I set up for myself.

"Paige?" I hear a soft voice coming from behind the door. At first I jumped and quickly wiped away the few tears that escaped me, as if someone were going to see me behind this closed door. Even through the door muffled her voice, I knew who the voice belonged to. I slide across the cold tile floor leaning against the door.

This was something that Aria and I have done a few times before. Aria and I share a bathroom with doors connected on each side. Sometimes I would hear her crying in the bathroom over something her boyfriend did, or she heard me having a moment where I thought of Emmy. But every time we heard the other, we would come to the door. It was our thing. Our thing. A little over a month into this home and I already have 'things' that I do with my foster siblings. I sigh at the thought.

"You okay?" I lean my head against the door letting the tears fall down my cheek. There wasn't a lock on the doors so Aria could always come into the bathroom but she never did. Even if we were crying on the other side of the door we understood privacy. It was soothing that we both could comfort each other through 2 inches of wood.

"No. I feel bad for being mean to your mom." I try to steady my voice but it ends up cracking when I remember Ella's face when I practically pushed past her.

"She's your mom too Paige." Aria stated a matter-of-factly.

"Aria, I like you guys. But I can't get attached to all of you. It just hurts way more when you're attached to the people." I move a bit away from the door bringing my knees up to my chest, as if I was in a little ball.

"Why does it hurt more? You have us to help you through things. You have 5 people who care about you." I can hear the sincerity in her muffled low voice making me just stare at the door and envision Aria resting against the door archway with her feet on the archway was well.

"What happens if I slip and make a mistake and your parents don't want me here anymore? And what happens when I just get placed somewhere else. Then will the 5 people, who care about me, still be there?" My voice was strong enough to carry out the rest of the sentence, where the last part came out barely audible, I was surprised that Aria heard it through the running water in the background.

"You don't give people enough credit, or yourself for that matter. You think my parents will just send you to the next home without even giving you a second chance? Then you obviously haven't paid attention to them over the last month. Just because your friend left you and never talked to you again, doesn't mean that's how everyone will be. She was an idiot for not staying in touch with you. Because you are awesome, and it sucks that you don't want to show anyone that because of what one person did to you. I know you were only 7 when it happened and it was no one's fault, but she missed out on you. Don't let other people miss out on you too."

I cringe at the fact that she's talking about Emily. Aria had heard me cry a few nights after my birthday, and in my vulnerable state I told her about my childhood friend. Now that I think of it, when I talked about Emmy I never used her name. Which I'm glad I didn't, now that I think about it. But nonetheless, Aria knew how hurt I was by the whole situation and it's not like I could really defend Emily. Did I really want to defend her though? I had forgiven the girl for leaving but the pain was still there, 10 years' worth of pain wouldn't go away just over night.

"You're right. I shouldn't be ignorant and think everyone is like her." I open the door and see Aria sitting crossed legged in front of the door. I smile when I see she's wearing the same bright red leggings she was wearing when I first saw her that day at Target. But today her outfit choice was pretty toned down than usual. She was just simply wearing a Hollis sweater thrown over a tank to and wearing some slippers that looked like boots. "But what if that happens though?"

"It won't." Aria said as she propels herself off the floor throwing her arm around my neck. I'm a bit startled by the sudden contact from Aria, but after a few seconds I give in and wrap my arms around her waist. "Good, I wasn't going to let go until you hugged me back." I never really noticed how small Aria was until this moment. She was standing on her tippy toes as her arms brought me down. I was still hunched over so that I could be on her level.

"I have to get used to hugs in this town huh?" I laugh as I pull away from Aria deciding that I didn't need a shower right now.

"Yeah we all like to hug. You could probably tell with Hanna. But you're safe with Spencer, she doesn't really like physical contact." She laughs as I make my way to her room, she sits on her bed while I sit on the chair by her window.

"Well even if she did, I think I would still be in the clear because she doesn't like me very much." I say with a shrug and she looks at me shaking her head as if to tell me that I'm just overthinking Spencer's responses. "Oh you know she doesn't like me Aria." I say as I pick up one of her photo albums and start flipping through them. I smile as I see the pictures of Aria and Mike and even of Ella. I guess Byron is the one that is taking the pictures because he is rarely in any of the pictures. When I get towards the end of the photo album I see a smaller Aria with Emily, Hanna and Spencer, they were probably eleven at the most. They were all smiling and their arms were linked with one another. She looks really happy, and I'm happy for her but still there is that pang of sadness.

I pick up another photo album hoping that the next one has less Emily and more of the Montgomery's. But the first photo I see is of Emily in her Sharks uniform, its looks like it was after a game because beads of sweat are coming down her forehead. I flip the page to see Emily and two others girls on the bench watching the game. But the photo is taken from behind, so you could see the backs of the three girls and the game going on in front of them. I flip through all the pictures and I see that this is a portfolio. There were an assortment of pictures, portraits, landscape and even action shots from different sports.

"Aria what do you want to major in?" I ask as I continue to flip through all the pictures again catching glimpses of the streets of Philly and even pictures of downtown Rosewood. Then action shots of Spencer and Emily and I even see a picture of our English teacher, Mr. Fitz.

"Art. My parents want me to major in English like them though. Don't get me wrong I love English but I really love art, mostly photography." I see her beaming up at me as she moves to the floor flipping through another portfolio she has. "I want to go to Columbia or Carnegie Mellon." She sits cross-legged and her eyes are glowing as she talks about the arts program at both schools. I had only seen her like this whenever we were talking about drawing or photography or any kind of art really. I can tell she is very interested in English but her real passion is art and it could be seen in her body language whenever she spoke about the subject.

"Really? I would think that you wanted to go to San Francisco or something." I set the portfolio down and sit next to her looking alongside her at the third portfolio. This one was all in black and white and these pictures seem a bit older as I look at her friends and notice that they seem to look younger than they do now.

"I would love that, but I don't think I would do so well without my family close by. Where do you want to go?" She looks at me but my eyes stay on the pictures because I don't think I could deal with the look I might get from her.

"Um I never really thought about that." I chuckle but when I look at Aria, her face doesn't show amusement but confusion. "I always got good grades, but that was because school was the only constant in my life. Even if I transferred schools, the work was the same. I never thought I would go to college."

"Well you could get into a good school. I'm sure Spencer could look at that with you. You guys are in the same league. Even Emily, I think she has a 4.0 GPA and Spencer has like 4.7 GPA."

"Correction, I have a 4.85 GPA, you should know that Aria." Aria and I turn our heads to the low husky voice that is coming from the door entrance. When I finally meet the gaze of Spencer Hastings I let out a gulp. I had heard from Mike and Ruben that Spencer was kind of the stuck up one out of the group of girls, but that she was the one to be afraid of. Mike admitted to being terrified of her and never wanting to be in the house whenever she was over. And I guess I could understand why he feels intimidated by her because that's how I feel right now. Even in the gym yesterday I felt like I couldn't meet her eyes without her glaring at me.

"Spence? You're early." Aria pushes her off the floor and walks over to her closet to slip off her Hollis sweater to replacing it with a different jacket. I turn away from Aria undressing and feel my cheeks burn at the sight of her ivory colored back. I feel eyes staring at me but I don't dare look up, why would I when I knew whose eyes were awaiting for me.

"Paige do you want to come with us? We are heading to Sam's to meet Hanna and Em." Aria's voice makes me look up as I now see her in her clothing that I am used to and I see the hope in her eyes but then I feel the tough demeanor of Spencer close by.

"No I'm good. Thank you though, I think today's is just going to be an R&R day for me." I smile at Aria before getting up and heading towards the door.

"Paige." I stop in my tracks when I hear the husky voice, my heart begins to race but I fight through the slight fear that I have of the girl calling my name and turn around. I don't think anyone has ever made me feel like this, scared and nervous. I let out a barely audible 'yes' as my eyes slowly come up to meet the brunette. "What's your GPA?" The question threw me off but I guess it didn't surprise Aria, because all she does is smile and shake her head before covering her face, probably in embarrassment.

"Um well last time I checked I had a 5.0." Spencer's confident smile slowing fades after my response. Her jaw clenched and I took that as my cue to leave Aria's room. I quickly walk into Mike's room where he's listening to music on his bed. I snag the headphones off, telling him to get Ruben so we could play a pick-up game. I seriously needed to blow off some steam after all the events of today.

* * *

Monday comes around and I'm dodging the Cafeteria at all costs, because I know Em will be waiting there for me to join them. And I really don't want to, not after the death glare I got when I was playing basketball with Mike and Ruben on the hoop they had out by the street. Yeah I decided to just let her cool down for whatever I did to get her mad. I couldn't even sit with Mike and Ruben, because they were in clear view of the girls table. So I just headed over to my locker to grab my lunch so I could eat in the hallways.

Sometimes I wish I had more friends at school but this feeling always went away, after I realize that I wouldn't stay long enough to ever make more than one. But I still hoped even though I shouldn't have. One thing that I heard in my first foster home was Alex always saying that hoping for something and losing it hurt more than never hoping for anything. Of course Alex was a teenager and she was a moody one at that, now that I think of it, but she had a point. I had hoped for a friend when I first got put in the foster system and I got Emmy but we all know how that ended. So in my eyes, Alex was spot on.

I walk to my locker and grab my lunch just when I'm about to close my locker door. I see Taylor at hers a few feet away from mine. Her hair is pulled up in a ponytail with a few loose light brown strands that weren't caught in the elastic band. I take a deep breath before closing my locker and walk over to her. I see her green eyes reflect from the mirror in her locker right before she turns around.

"Paige? Hey." She looked surprised to see me and honestly I was surprised that I actually walked over here.

"Hey." I fiddle with the zipper on my sandwich bag as I try to figure out what the hell I came over here for. "So about Saturday… I just wanted to say sorry for snapping at you."

"You apologized on Saturday already." She now has a small smile on her face and I see her eyes sparkle a bit and I finally look down when I feel the blood rush to my cheeks.

"Riiiiight." I let out a nervous laugh as I scratch the back of my head still trying to figure out why I was standing in front of the green-eyed girl. I made the mistake of looking up to see if she was still there and I'm face to face with her light green eyes. "Er..um..do you w-" I'm cut off when my lunch falls for the floor and when I look around I see Liv smiling as the other girl is holding me back by my backpack.

"Is she bugging you Tay?"

"No I was just asking her a question about class. Brina let her go. She was just leaving." Taylor walks up to the girl that's holding me back, but Liv steps in front of her and now she's in my face, close enough for me to smell her old gum and the her gross perfume.

"Really? Because it sounds like the dyke he-" Her evil smile disappears, and now she looks angry as she stares me down but I don't give in and keep my head up high.

"Liv! Stop with that word seriously!"

"Listen to your cousin Ms. Dalton. I'm sure you are aware that the school has a zero tolerance policy." The Hispanic man walks over with his crooked tie and all, I feel the girl who was holding my backpack let her grip go. I immediately walk away from the three girls feeling Taylor's eyes on me I turn around and see that her eyes were no longer a light green but darker. It wasn't long before Liv was pulling Taylor by her arm away from the scene, kicking over a trash can in the process. "_Estas bien Señoritia Paige?_"(**Are you okay Miss. Paige?**) He places his hand on my shoulder still shaken up by the incident. Keep it together Paige.

"_Sí, estoy bien. Gracias por la ayuda, pero no pedí por su ayuda Señor._"(**Yes, I'm fine. Thanks for the help but I didn't ask for your help Sir.**) I walk away to pick up my Sandwich bag from the floor and begin to walk down the now empty hallway, fighting back the damn tear that was trying to escape.

"You didn't have to ask. I don't appreciate homophobic comments being made. You are who you are." He walked up closer to me but I didn't turn around because even though he saved me from possibly another bruise, I couldn't look at him because he knew. I choke back a sob still fighting back the tears.

"Thank you." I say with a shaking voice as I continue to walk down the halls, sucking in the tears so that no one would see me vulnerable. I should have just had lunch with Aria and Emily, at least Spencer's glare would have been better than what happened with Liv. I shouldn't have gone up to Taylor, but there was just something about her that drew me to her.

* * *

**Emily's POV**

"Spencer get over it, she has more brains than you." Hanna says gliding through the crowd of people, and finally sitting down at our usual table out in the courtyard.

"Actually she doesn't, most human brains are essentially the same size. But I will not get over it Hanna, she has a significantly higher GPA than me." Spencer slams her tray of food on the table, as she turns to stare at our blonde friend for even suggesting such a thing.

"Spence, it's a .15 difference. That's not significant." I roll my eyes as I look around for Paige, she said that she would have lunch with us on Monday and had skipped out the whole week with some excuse. And I always grilled her about it during classes or during conditioning. She had told me about the interaction with Spencer on Saturday, which I understood why she didn't want to sit with us. Spencer had been talking my ear off all week about how Paige could be better than her in school. And today was no exception, but frankly it was getting old, and I just wish Spencer could realize that people could be smarter than her.

I'm looking around the school courtyard again and still I don't see her anywhere. She's usually with Mike and Ruben but I see that they are sitting with a few of their friends at the far table. I sort of threaten that if she didn't come eat with us today, that when she made the team I would make her life a living hell, joking of course but she swore she would come. I had waited for her after class but noticed that she slipped out of the classroom before I even packed my things. I know I'm pushing her to meet my friends but I just think it's the least I could do so that she wouldn't have to just depend on her foster brothers to hang out with during lunch. Even though I thought it was kind of sweet how the three of them were really close.

"Emily, .15 is the difference between valedictorian scholarships to top universities and going to a God forsaken state school."

"Hey! I'm going to a state school!" Hanna raises her voice at the obvious assumption that Spencer was making. Spencer turns red and just lays her head down on the table.

"Han you know state schools just aren't for Spencer, she will be bored out of her mind." Aria places her hand on top of Hanna's and Hanna nods with a smile before continuing to eat her salad. "Spencer, why don't you just asked Paige for some help? You could pick her brain or something." Spencer's head shoots up with wide grin on her face and I'm seriously scared for what Spencer might do.

"Paige! Come sit with us!" I see Spencer jump from her seat waving over the brown-haired girl. How did I miss her? She was coming into the courtyard with a tray of lunch starting to walk over with Ruben and Mike but stopped when she heard Spencer's voice. She looked like a deer in headlights. Her eyes meet mine and I flash her an encouraging smile, it looks like she sighs before she starts to walk over to our table.

"Hey where were you? Lunch started like 10 minutes ago." I say as I move over so that we could share the bench.

"Oh um I was signing up to do tutor-" She is barely stepping over the bench when Spencer interrupts her.

"Tutoring? I knew that's how you got that high of a GPA." Spencer stands up rapidly and points her finger at Paige. Paige turns her head to the side before looking down at me. I give Spencer a slap on the leg but it only makes her smile grow because she knows Paige's secret.

"Actually I was signing up so I could tutor people. I don't need tutoring." Paige says as she swings her other foot over the bench looking up at Spencer who is still standing. Spencer cheeks turn bright red as she slowly sits down, and decides to look down at her food and for some reason I feel a bit satisfied because Spencer deserved to feel a bit ashamed.

The way she was acting was only making Paige feel more nervous then she already was. It was weird seeing Paige like this though, it's like the roles were reversed from when we little. She was always the more confident one and now she is more submissive, well when it came to my friends. Paige sported that same confidence she did when she was 5 when she stood up to Liv that first day though.

"Excuse her. Tutoring huh? For what subject?" I glare at Spencer before directing my attention to Paige and her nervous hands. Seeing her like this was actually pretty cute because on Saturday she was the same way after Hanna joined us, I guess when she's around just me she becomes a bit more confident.

"I wrote that I could do any subject, but specified more for Spanish." She beams as she talks about the language and it was quite amazing how she was so into Spanish. I knew why I took Spanish, because my parents were part Hispanic but I didn't know why Paige loved the language so much, I honestly got confused with some of the terms and conjugations.

"No offense but aren't you like white? How are you so good at Spanish? I always wanted to call in sicko to that class." It's as if Hanna read my mind, but saying in it a totally different way than I would have asked. I glare at Hanna with her bluntness but return my gaze to Paige who has a small smile ready to answer the question asked of her.

"Actually sick is _enfermo _not sicko." I smile as Paige corrects Hanna and look over at Spencer who glare is more intense towards Paige now. Correcting Hanna was kind of Spencer's thing. "But my social worker is Latina, so I picked up on it when I was around 7 and I just took Spanish courses in school and got better." She finishes with a wide grin and I think of Devyn back in the day when she spoke to Paige and me in Spanish and we just looked at each other confused. We didn't know better back then, we were only 5.

"That's hot."

"Hanna!" Aria, Spencer and I say in unison making her head snap up from her damn salad. This girl seriously had no filter when it came to her mouth.

"What? Speaking a foreign language is sexy whether you're a guy or girl, that's a fact." I look over at Paige whose cheeks are a rosy pink as she picks at her food. But I notice that she has a sly smile, and I nudge her shoulder making her chocolate-brown eyes look up at me and for a second I lose all sense of my surroundings as her eyes and smile consume me. What the hell is wrong with me? I quickly duck my head now trying to hide my blush.

"So are people with glasses." She whispers leaning her body into me, so that only I heard and I look up at her but she isn't looking at me. I think I have the goofiest of smiles but its fine when I see the smirk on Paige's face, as she continues to look at my friends and listen to the three bicker. It was nice to have her around again, she made me feel more comfortable. I mentally kick myself for wanting to stay away from her after I found out she was my Paige because I feared that I would go back to how I was in the system, shy and afraid, but I'm not that girl anymore. Having Paige around made me feel like I didn't have to hide basically who I was from anyone. I smiling at the girls still bickering and Spencer took Aria's advice and started to pick Paige's brain, asking her multiple questions about her study habits and the amount of hours she put into school work.

I'm smiling when I feel my phone vibrate, and when I look down I see the picture of Camila and me with a funny face and her number flashing on the screen. My heart stops when I examine the picture further and see that we were happy in this picture, it was the picture we took while we were just friends. But I notice the way she's staring at me and I don't know how I never saw that she liked me before, maybe I was just too naïve at the time, I was only a freshman when this picture was taken. My smile slowly fades as I think about how happy Camila made me but the fact that only a select few knew. Paige not being one of them, I guess I spoke too soon when I said I didn't have to hide anything from her. I excuse myself from the table to answer the phone call.

"Hey, I thought I was going to get your voicemail. But hearing your voice just made my day." I hear the smile in her voice as I lean against the brick wall smiling as my heart flutters a bit with her low voice chiming in my ear. I missed her so much, even though I had just seen her a week ago, we ended on a bad note and it was just wasn't the ideal date.

"Well aren't you the charmer. Aren't you supposed to be in class?" I lean my head back lightly enough for it to rest on the brick wall.

"I am in class thank you very much. We have a break and I was going to leave you a message." She laughs and I smile at her contiguous laugh over the phone but it dies out to a nervous laugh and instantly my head snaps up at the sudden change. There was some silence on the other end and I even checked my phone to see if she was still there "So I was thinking of coming back home next weekend…would you want to hang out?"

"Cam… "

"You don't have to tell your dad if you're not ready, but I need to make up for Friday. So please say yes..." She cuts me off with her pleading voice.

"You know I can't say no to you. By the way, I think it's cute that you still are nervous to ask me out." I say as a slow smile forms on my lips as how she was always nervous when she had asked me out on a date. She never referred to it as a date though, she always said hang out which just added to the fact that I still made her nervous even after knowing each other for almost four years.

"Emmmmmm! How is it that you can make me blush over the damn phone?"

"Just a gift, I guess."

"Well I have the gift to make you m-"

"Okay! I get it!" I look at my watch as I hear Camila's laugh filling the receiver and notice that lunch is almost over. "I have to go to class babe. But call me later okay?" her laughter subsides when she tells me that she will call later and I can still hear her chuckling on the other line.

* * *

"Way to ditch me Fields." My head snaps up from my stretches to see Paige in shorts and a muscle tee with her basketball shoes. The ball is plastered to her side as she cocks her head to the side waiting for me to answer.

"Sorry, my dad called me. How was the rest of lunch?" She takes a seat next to me and starts to stretch with me leaving the ball more towards her.

"Uh it was good, Spencer doesn't glare at me anymore, and Hanna is confusing. Is she gay?" She smiles into her shoulder as she crosses her arm across her chest.

"No, not at all. She just very blunt and comfortable with herself to say things like what she said at the table. Wait, would it bother you if she was gay?" I nervously eye Paige to see if she has a reservations about the topic of sexual orientation.

"No, I wouldn't care. I mean she's cool, I was just wondering because she was like you said, very blunt" Paige shrugs her shoulders putting her feet together and stretching her arms forward.

"Yeah that's Hanna for you. I swear though, sometimes I wonder about her, I think she' a bit curious but she'd never admit it." We both laugh while we keep stretching with a few more girls that are on the team. Finally the coach shows up and the look on his face with a smile and his cheeks were red, like he was laughing beforehand.

"Alright ladies, Tryouts are next week. Most of you know the drill. Tryouts are four days long and I will have the list up by the end of the fifth day. So Friday the list will be up with everyone that made the team and what team you are in. And for those who make Varsity you'll be working with a new assistant coach, who you'll meet Monday along with the freshmen and JV coaches. Today will just be an Open Gym day and is optional, I'll be here running drills with the ones who decide to stay and for the ones who don't I'll see you Monday. Bring you're a-game girls, I want to take that title this year." He clapped his hands together and move to the side writing something on his clipboard.

A few sophomore girls got up and grabbed their things to leave the gym while the freshmen looked confused as to what to do. But the senior and junior girls stayed without any hesitation. Paige and I got up, and I took the lead on setting up the lay-up drill set up that Varsity does for warm ups. An hour into the open gym, I hear the coach yell at a few of the junior girls who have a messy shooting form telling them to run a lap. When the girls come back from running, I see Liv and Sabrina coming in with their field hockey gear in hand and sit in the stands. A bold move by Liv, seeing as the Head coach was the one that banned her from the team and his brown eyes glared at her while his jaw tightens up when a smirk settles on her face. She stays in the stands for another half hour as we were practicing, whispering to Sabrina about who knows what. Finally my eyes catch on to Taylor staring up at the girl in the stands and she looks distraught as while she waits her turn in line. But when the ball is passed to her she snaps out of it and has her head in the game. Finally we collect the basketballs and place them on the rack to be put in the back room. Girls have their backpacks and basketball bag in hand as the coach gathers us all up.

"Okay girls. Soak up, ice up, wrap up and rest up for next week. See you all and good luck." He walks away from the group of 45 girls towards where the basketball rack is, and taking it with him as he disappears from view. In a matter of minutes the gym had clear up of the girls and only Paige, Taylor and I were left with Liv and Sabrina.

"So I guess you didn't take the warning I gave you huh new girl?" I step forward but Paige's hand stops me shaking her head at me as she steps closer to Liv.

"Paige. My name is Paige, do you not understand that or something? And I guess I don't take well to threats Liv, because I'm still trying out on Monday." I see Liv's fists ball up as she pushes Paige's shoulder back.

"Listen here you dy-" I'm about to lunge for Liv when I hear the coaches booming voice echo throughout the gym.

"Enough! Olivia get the hell out of my gym." Everyone's head shot up to the voice that was echoing the gym. Mr. Guerrero and the coach were standing there with their arms crossed staring at the scene in front of them. Liv's fist ball up but she didn't move from the spot in front of Paige. "Taylor I suggest you escort your cousin out of my Gym, before I become uncertain of your spot on Varsity." I look at Taylor and her eyes are wide as she looks at the coach and then her cheeks become bright red as she picks up her bag and pulls Liv's arm out the Gym. But I notice the stares that were exchanged between Paige and Taylor. Ever since, Saturday when I saw them at the Founding Fathers festival set-up, I've notice Paige's stares lingering over at the green eyed girl in the halls and in class.

"Thanks coach." I say as I grab my bag and reach for Paige's bag to hand it to her.

"Of course. I won't tolerate bigotry in my gym, especially from Olivia." The coach and Mr. Guerrero walk up to me and so does Paige to collect her bag from me.

"Bigotry?" I look over at Paige and her eyes fall to the floor and her knuckles become white the tighter she grips at her bag strap.

"I have to go. Thanks coach. See you Emily."

"Wait Paige!" But she didn't turn around. She actually runs out of the gym doors and I fought with myself on whether to go after her of not.

"Emily let her go." Mr. Guerrero places his hand on my shoulder stopping me from following her. I guess that made my decision easier.

* * *

**A/N #2: I know this chapter was very full of Paily or anything but this story is going to be way more slower then The Girl with the Smile and even more slower than Dark Paraidse with how their relationship will develop, so bear with me please. Hope you enjoyed!**


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